The Sheriff and The Soldier
by Nightly73
Summary: When Zaun threatens Piltover with war, Piltover Company must react, but will The Sheriff be able to put aside her personal feelings for her Soilder?
1. Chapter 1: War and Incidents

**A/N: Hey guys, so this is my first time writing fanfiction and actually publishing it. I would love to get some reviews and whatnot. So go right ahead and tell me what you think :D**

Dakota's eyes caught Illya's. A desperate hunger lingering at the edges of their finger tips as they met on the battle field.

Their faces were covered in soot and mud. Around them the Zaunite melters exploded, creating craters in the trenches. Noxians, Demacians, Ionians,and zaunites a like, dying around them. Screams and pleas of mothers echoed into the raging sky.

War raged.

If only it was under different circumstances.

Illya looked longingly at the teenager in front of her.

Wearing her enemy's Armour and colours.

Tears traced through the soot on Illya's cheeks as she unsheathed the runic short sword.

Dakota grunted.

With blinding speed she sauntered over and grabbed the girl's waist with gauntleted hands and crashed their lips together in a heated exchange.

Illya dropped the sword. Her grimy hands sliding effortlessly into Dakota's raven black locks. Her emerald eyes closed in passion.

Enemies be damned.

If only it was under different circumstances.

(16 years earlier)

Lightning cracked through the dark sky.

The man paced angrily throughout the waiting room. The woman beside him revised pieces of yellowed papers with Hextech designs scribbled and crossed out. Her brow furrowed as her husband distracted her.

" Love." She sighed. Her Upper city accent cutting through the tension in the air like a knife. He froze instantly and rocked on the back of his heels. "She will make it out fine. She's a Deramore."

" She's fourteen!" He snarled back, pointing his finger at his wife. "The runt she bares could end us Catherine. My political career down the toilet and your doctorate gone with yet it will ruin her image. She hasn't even debuted. The Society will see us as ill suited parents. We should have terminated it."

Catherine sighed heavily and rose to her feet. "That was not our choice to make." She looked into her husband's eyes with a sturdy defiance. " It is her body and she will do as she pleases."

"Besides no one will know about this, Peter. The Sampsons swore their secrecy to us. They'll take the child. It will become a good doctor and may even help the ones it was bred from." She stated crossing her arms over her chest.

He cussed under his breath. He strode angrily to the massive floor to ceiling window glaring over the dangerous city sky line."When I find that lower city filth that defiled her." He seethed watching as rain clattered against the pane.

"You will do nothing of the sort." She hissed icily. "It's bad enough they did this to get at you. Don't give them any other reason to do something worse. Let the police handle this"

He cussed again. She was right. She was always right.

The heavy infirmary doors swung open revealing Dr. Eli Sampson. His scrubs were covered in blood and sweat. His blonde hair hidden under a green cap. He greeted the Deramores with an easy smile that lit up the whole room. The man's blue eyes sparkled with glee.

"Caitlyn and the baby have made it out of labor safely and without any complications." He smiled toward Peter Deramore who glared with fire in his lake blue eyes.

"Don't mind him, Eli." Catherine butted in, hugging the doctor. " We are forever in your debt."

Eli shook his head with a smile. "No you aren't. You provided Sarah and I with another beautiful child. After the accident, Sarah has been wary about child birth. But this is truly a glorious day for everyone."

"I'm glad this has worked out." Catherine smiled.

Eli then gestured toward the door. "Caitlyn is resting, but you are free to go and visit her."

Their steps echoed against the corridor walls as they approached their young daughter's Hospital room. They entered quietly, making as minimal noise possible to keep from disturbing the sleeping girl. She was covered in sweat. Her Raven black hair plastered against her face and neck. The dark shadows sunk underneath her eyes.

Peter's eyes softened as he took in his daughter's post labour form, huddled under thin hospital blankets. She was hooked to a saline IV that dripped soundlessly providing hydration to her.

His little girl.

Tears welled at his eyes. He approached her carefully and brushed some bangs out of her eyes. " I wish I could have protected you better." He whispered.

Her eyes fluttered as she looked to her father with half lidded pools of ice blue. A small smile on her pale lips. He grabbed her hand gently and kissed the back of it. He could feel his wife's fingers lay along his shoulder. His wife then reached out and cupped their daughter's cheek.

"How are you love?" She asked running her thumb smoothly on her cheek bones.

Caitlyn lolled her head to the side. "Sleepy," she blurted groggily. "Is the baby okay?" She asked. Her voice soft.

Peter stiffened and Catherine answered. "It's ok. , is pleased to have the child in his family."

Caitlyn nodded.

" I'm sorry it came to this." She whispered. Her voice so quiet.

"Nothing to be sorry for, love." Her mother cooed soothingly as she caressed her young daughter's face.

Caitlyn looked up to her mother, eyes burning with questions.

"Will I get to see it?"

Peter closed his eyes and took a sharp breath.

Catherine's eyebrows knitted together in worry.

"I feel like that may not be a good idea, sweet one." Her mother answered sorrowfully.

Caitlyn nodded in understanding. Small tears prickling at her eyes.

(six months later)

Caitlyn was turning into a force to be reckoned with.

Her father had been mugged by a gang of lower city thieves. When he returned bloodied and bruised, she rushed into her father's office and pick locked the rifle cabinet. She pulled out his favourite hunting rifle and set off on the streets.

She had enough of waiting in fear for the police to find the criminals. She had enough of her parents worrying about her walking alone at night. Not after the incident.

When she found the thieves, they snickered with loot money and blood curled around their fists.

"The upper city sheep don't know how to handle the wolves" She heard from one of the thieves as he grabbed one of his comrades by the shoulders. They brimmed with joy. "We're eating good tonight, kids!"

A sly grin spread around her lips. She leapt to the adjacent roof , keeping her footsteps lithe on the clay shingles.

It was just like the hunting she and her father participated in every year before Snowdown.

Track. Observe.

Kill.

Simple tactics.

She set the rifle's butt against her shoulder. She pulled back the bolt action, chambering a round. She spied through the scope aiming for her target's knees.

She would incapacitate and deal more damage up close.

She held her breath in, her finger squeezing the trigger slowly.

Boom.

The scream echoed into the alleyway. Her target fell to the cobbled street.

Like a machine she set the bolt and chambered another round with precision and practice.

Her next target gaped at his fallen comrade. He was in too much shock to move.

Boom.

He fell with a clatter of screams and gold.

The others scattered instantaneously leaving their fallen comrades behind.

She slung the rifle around to her back and slid to the eaves of the house she was perched on. She grabbed a pipe and slid down to the cobbled road. She brought the rifle off her back and chambered the next round as she sauntered over to the fallen thieves who whimpered like scared dogs as she approached. Her heeled boots adding power to her angry steps as she neared.

She placed the muzzle of the rifle onto the first target's temple, pressing him into the cobblestones. His eyes closed in fear. His shaking hands holding his blown out knee.

She froze.

What does she do now?

The theif sensed her unsureness. He looked up at her with defiant eyes, ignoring the agony he was in.

Caitlyn's eyes widened as the man propped himself shakily onto his elbow.

He snickered.

Her body tightened. He sounded like...

She pulled the muzzle off his temple and stepped back. Trying to shake the memory.

"Weak sheep." He sputtered.

Something snapped in Caitlyn.

Something defiant and strong. Something that evoked and promised power.

She will not let them scare her.

With lightning quick speed she spun the rifle around and slammed the butt into the man's face making the back of his head crack against the stone. He went limp and she turned to the next thief, who shrunk instantly.

She strapped the rifle around her back and grabbed the younger thief by the collar of his ratty shirt. She pulled him against the brick wall of one of the nearby buildings.

"You are under citizen's arrest." She stated in her upper city accent.

The boy swallowed.

She dropped him, watching him slide back to the cobblestone.

She tied the thieves' wrists.

She pulled a hex communicator from her back pocket and dialled the police.

It took them five minutes to arrive.

Caitlyn was escorted roughly into another cruiser and watched as her targets were brought up into a holding van.

They took her to HQ with sirens wailing.

The officer pulled up to the front steps of the station and turned the key to the cruiser. He grunted as he opened the door and exited the vehicle.

He ripped her door open and grabbed her shoulder taking her out of the cruiser and directing her up the stairs.

The police station was a flurry of officers, but they made way as the officer lead her to an office with a heavy cherry wood door.

"Stay put." He growled placing her onto a near by bench.

Caitlyn didn't budge and watched as the officer knocked and entered into the large office. The door closed behind him.

Minutes later the officer returned and motioned for her to enter.

She got up slowly and entered, praying to the gods, hoping she wasn't in a massive amount of trouble.

The door closed and Caitlyn was alone with a man at an oak desk. Paper work was scattered around him in large piles. He was an older man. His hair was slicked back with the colour salt and pepper. His weathered face was cut with grooves of age. He looked through his spectacles and gave a small smile.

"Good evening, Miss Deramore."

Caitlyn nodded and curtsied in respect, as her mother had taught her to do in front of men in power. "And to you as well Sheriff Tarlson."

"Please take a seat." The sheriff pointed to a small arm chair at the end of his desk.

Caitlyn obliged and sat in proper form, placing her hands on her thighs. She held her posture with shoulders squared and head high. If she was to recieve punishment she was going to receive it as a lady.

The sheriff placed the report down and sighed heavily.

"How does a young upper city Piltite take down two of the most wanted serial thieves in one night by herself with no further training?" He asked. His bright eyes questioning her through his spectacles.

Caitlyn was taken aback. "Most wanted?" She asked

" My officers have been looking for these two infamous scoundrels for almost a year now. How does a fourteen year old catch them in one night?" The man slammed his large hands down on the oak desk.

Caitlyn took a large breath.

" I overheard my father's descriptions when the police arrived at our manor house. I was afraid that they wouldn't be caught." She began. " I knew that they would probably go back to the lower city.I went to the crime scene and investegated what I could. I thought I would never find them until I heard laughter close by. You know what the say, if they're guilty they always comeback. The descriptions matched. So I intervened"

The sheriff stared at the girl in disbelief. "My officers have failed the people of Piltover, to the point that a citizen had took responsibility into her own young hands to find her father's assailants."

Caitlyn looked down to her feet.

"Was it exhilarating?" The sheriff asked nonchalantly.

The question took Caitlyn off guard. Exhilarating?

" I felt powerful." Her eyes locked with the sheriff's.

The sheriff nodded.

" I'm getting old in my years, Miss Deramore. Never have I seen someone apprehend such dangerous criminals with such swift justice." He removed his spectacles. "Have you given much thought to your future career Miss Deramore?"

"My father wants me to involve myself in politics."

The sheriff raised an eyebrow. A small chuckle bubbled from his throat. He wrenched open a drawer at his desk and produced a large book. "Read this religiously." He grinned as he passed the book along.

Caitlyn took the red covered text book and revised the title. "The Rookie's Guide To Piltovian Laws and Enforcement."

"You should think about the police force, Miss Deramore." The Sheriff quirked." I could see you having a bright future in the force."

Caitlyn nodded thoughtfully.

"You're free to go, Miss Deramore." The sheriff stated.

Caitlyn rose from her seat and turned toward the door.

"Oh and Miss Deramore." The Sheriff said. "Next time, call us ahead of time before you make another citizen's arrest. I don't want your father throwing me out of here yet."

"What makes you think I would do this again?" Caitlyn asked suspiciously.

The sheriff smiled.

"Because you are tired of living in fear. You want your home to be safe. That's why you reacted to find those thieves so quickly, Miss Deramore. Who knows you might plummet the awful crime rate within weeks."

After the encounter with the sheriff, Caitlyn would sneak out of her manor house at least two times a week, staying up all night on the top of buildings and clock towers. She would swoop down and rescue those in need, or take out thieves or burglars before their acts.

Of course she kept her word with the Sheriff and would call ahead before taking to the pursuit of criminals.

Caitlyn's parents fought tirelessly to get her to give up her vigilante lifestyle. There would be countless days they would argue, to end the foolish dream of possibly being Piltover's youngest sheriff. She would spend hours reading up on law enforcement. Eventually, her mother gave in and created Hextech gadgets for Caitlyn to use on the field. It was the only way that Catherine felt she could protect her daughter. Soon the sheriff took Caitlyn under his wing. He began to train her as his deputy. Her detective skills were phenomenal and she solved many cases that seemed insolvable. The sheriff was pleased witht the way she worked. She was even showing great leadership skills while around other officers and they respected her.

Soon, with the young deputy's help, the crime rate began to fall in record time.


	2. Chapter 2: Icy Eyes and Pink Hair

(2 years later)

Her heart rammed against her chest as her hand hovered over the knocker.

She pulled the lever back and knocked the base. She released the breath she had been holding and fidgeted with the new top hat her mother had made her.

The door slowly opened.

A blonde head poked through the entry. "Go away, stranger." The blonde head blurted.

Caitlyn raised her eyebrow.

"Elric, get away from the door." She heard as heeled footsteps approached the entryway.

The door opened fully and Sarah Sampson smiled as she saw the young Deputy.

"Ah, officer Deramore, a pleasure to see you." Sarah greeted wrapping her arms around the teenager in a friendly embrace.

Caitlyn smiled at the glowing woman.

Sarah Sampson like most upper class Piltovians had dark black hair. Her sapphire eyes crinkled in joy. Small freckles speckled her face and cheeks. She was dressed in an elegant yellow summer dress.

"What do I owe the pleasure , love?" Sarah asked.

" I was wondering if we could have some tea together ?" She asked. " And I was wondering if we could...discuss something."

Sarah's eyebrows knit together in worry.

"Of course darling, come in, come in." She opened the door for Caitlyn to enter. "I'll get Rose to bring up tea and biscuits." With that Sarah took the young deputy's hand and guided her to the tea room.

As Cait sat onto one of the arm chairs a plop of blonde hair poked it's way into Cait's view.

The boy looked at the teenager curiously. His blue orbs taking in Caitlyn. "I'm Elric." The boy piped.

Caitlyn's mouth quipped in a smile. "Caitlyn." The boy produced his hand and Caitlyn took it gently. With a shake the boy released and then sat on the foot rest.

"Now we aren't strangers."

Caitlyn chuckled at the boy's antics. " I guess we aren't."

"Do you fight bad guys?" The boy chirped. Observing Caitlyn's police regalia with awe.

"In a sense, yes." She answered.

His eyes widened and a massive grin appeared on his face.

"You're a super hero!" He squealed.

Caitlyn couldn't help but laugh.

"No, I'm just a police officer."

"It's ok, you can tell me. I am good at keeping secrets!" Elric then grabbed Caitlyn's hand excitedly. "Like James from year two. He threw up all over Gregory during nap time and no one knew, but me and James. We told Gregory that he puked in his sleep."

Caitlyn blinked.

"Anyways, I can keep your identity secret." Elric saluted."It is safe with me."

Sarah then entered the room with a graceful air.

"Alright my lovely." Sarah placed a hand on Elric's young shoulder. "It is adult time. Go play in your room, sweetling. James should be here soon."

The boy frowned. "I was making friends." He protested, stomping his foot onto the carpeted floor.

Sarah rolled her eyes at her son. "Come on now, love." She took the boy's hand and guideded him out of the tea room.

Caitlyn's eyes observed the space. It was a massive room with book shelves and high ceilings. A crystaline chandeliler hung above Caitlyn's head. A bay window on Caitlyn's right pushed out a summer breeze that coaxed the curtains to sway along.

Across from her, Sarah sat in a leather arm chair. She crossed her legs and placed her hands on her thighs. Her gentle sapphire eyes looked over Caitlyn.

In that moment the anxiety returned. She could feel her heart pounding in her ears. She felt like she coudln't breathe. Sarah reached over and placed a caring hand on her arm.

Caitlyn hadn't noticed as Rose, the maid, placed a tray of tea and biscuits on the small table infront of them.

Caitlyn's shaking hand accepted the tea cup as Sarah passed it along.

She took a long sip, enjoying the contents of the warm drink.

"Thank you ," Caitlyn murmured.

"Whats troubling you, love?" Sarah asked with concern lining her voice.

"I wanted..." Caitlyn froze. She took a deep breath, trying to control the emotions that tried to bubble up from her throat. " I wanted to... talk about the baby." She finally stuttered.

Sarah knit her eyebrows together.

Caitlyn began to back pedal. "I just," Caitlyn started. "My parents have been refusing every chance for us to finally meet..." Tears pricked at her ice blue eyes. She took a staggering breath. Why was this so hard for her?

"I know I am over stepping my parents and my boundaries, Sarah." Caitlyn apologized. "I just want to meet, the baby."

Sarah smiled and grabbed Caitlyn's hand. Her thumb ran soothingly over her knuckles.

"I understand this must be hard for you, darling." Sarah began. "I always thought it cruel that they never let you meet her."

Her.

Finally.

Cailtyn beamed.

Her.

Cailtyn had a daughter.

Her smile faded.

A daughter she couldn't claim as her own.

Sarah rose from the chair. "Let's go visit the nursery."

The stairs were a curvature of marble and sculptures. Sarah's heels clicked along as she led Cailtyn to the upper floor of the manor house.

"I'm glad you took the courage to defy your parents, love." Sarah stated her lithe hands gliding up the rail.

The landing provided a a view of classic Ionian paintings and pristine white walls. They went to the left and trailed down the hall.

Sarah froze at the final door in the hallway.

Caitlyn's heart lept like a wild horse.

Finally.

After two years.

"Are you afraid, darling?"

Caitlyn nodded.

Sarah beamed. Her hand went to the knob and her wrist turned.

The room was a robin's egg blue. Massive letters of the alphabet were plastered to the wall in multicolours. Toys littered the floor. A rocking chair was in the far corner of the room next to the window that overlooked the Uppercity skyline. A small bookshelf holding children's literature, was placed at the far wall beside the white crib.

Caitlyn's eyes focused then.

A mop of raven black poked it's way from the top of the crib. Icy blue hues, widened at the intruders. Small hands gripped the top of the wooden sides with neediness.

The toddler gurgled happily as Sarah approached.

"Hello," She squealed, giving a buble of laughter.

"Hello, love." Sarah cooed at the child.

"Up, up!" The toddler demanded, raising her hands up to Sarah.

Caitlyn was taken aback. She could speak?

Sarah gave a slight chuckle and picked up the child.

The child squealed in amusement.

"Yay!" The girl flailed happily. She then pointed to the ground. "Down, mommy , down!"

Sarah rolled her eyes. "They always get demanding at this age." She said while placing the child on the floor.

The girl wobbily stood on her own, and tried to take a few steps. She almost toppled over until Sarah grabbed her. The girl giggled and was placed back on the floor carefully.

The girl looked to Cailtyn, then back to Sarah.

"Momma, hers pretty." The girl pointed at Caitlyn. The girl huffed and then trotted over to Caitlyn. She kept correcting herself as she began to lose her balance. She planted herself in front of Caitlyn's feet.

Caitlyn froze. She looked to Sarah with widened eyes. Sarah chuckled and gave a sideways smile.

"Dakota," Sarah began. "This is Miss Caitlyn. She's a very good friend of our family."

Dakota.

Caitlyn's heart melted as Dakota beamed at her.

"Hello," She chirped.

"Hello," Caitlyn replied, watching the child's attention go to a toy on the floor.

Dakota's eyebrows knit together in frustration as the toy lost it's amusement. She then raised her hands up at Caitlyn.

"Up?" The toddler asked.

Caitlyn looked to Sarah.

"It's ok, you can hold her, darling." Sarah encouraged.

Caitlyn took a deep breath and lowered herself so she was eye level to the toddler who squealed happily.

The girl wrapped her arms excitedly around Caitlyn's neck. Caitlyn grabbed the girl's small waist and hefted her up so that the child sat on her forearms. The girl unlatched her arms and placed her hands on Caitlyn's cheeks. Her small fingers explored the sixteen year old's features.

Dakota traced the small smile on Caitlyn's face.

Caitlyn could see the similarities of her mother in Dakota's face. She definetly had the Deramore's small nose, and she deffienitly had the the curious eyes. The ones that could be mistaken for ice.

Sarah gave a small gasp.

"She's going to look just like you when she gets to your age. I can the see resemblance already. Most definitely with your eyes." Sarah walked forward.

Dakota started to hum a nursery rhyme as she began to play with Caitlyn's black locks.

Caitlyn gave the girl a loving look.

Even though the Child was a by product out of a terrible experience, Caitlyn was glad that she had created this beautiful toddler.

" It's going to be hard hiding who she is." Sarah continued. "We should discuss when a proper time to acknowledge that she's yours."

Cailtyn nodded thoughtfully.

Dakota gave a tired yawn then leaned forward into Caitlyn.

The teenager froze.

Dakota's head went into the crook of her neck and slowly her eyelids began to droop.

Caitlyn felt at pure bliss. A bliss that should be foreign to her. She shuddered.

"I think someone is sleepy." She whispered quietly toward Sarah.

Sarah gave a slight chuckle. "Nap time, I do believe."

Caitlyn walked slowly over to the crib trying not to disturb the half asleep toddler. She gently placed Dakota onto the matress of the crib and watched the child curl into a ball around a teddy bear.

She took a step back and followed Sarah out of the nursery.

(5 years later)

The rain bombarded the slick cobblestone.

The youngest sheriff in piltover's history, tipped her notorious top hat so the rain wouldn't collect at the ends. Her puprle rain jacket was soaked. Her rifle hidden under the layer of waterproof material.

Lights flashed everywhere. The red, white and blues, reflected angrily off each rain drop making it harder to see the scene.

She stalked up to an officer who took cover in their cruiser. They were writing on a clipboard with a frown. Caitlyn tapped on the glass of the window and without hesitation the window rolled low enough for the officer to hear his orders from his sheriff.

"Good evening, Sheriff. "The officer greeted.

Caitlyn nodded. "Evening." She took a quick glance to the pile up of automobiles. Some looking like heap of metal rather then transportation devices. Small fires were being put out quickly and paramdeics were pulling either dead or alive bodies from the wreckage. Piltover patrol's bots were aiding the first responders, helping those caught in the fires pleading for help. " Have they identified the casualties yet?"

The officer shook his head solemnly.

"I'll need the report on my desk by lunch tomorrow, officer." Caitlyn ordered. "I can handle the rest of the paperwork. Go home and be with your family."

The officer offered his thanks and watched as his sheriff stepped toward the wreckage.

She approached the paramedics, watching as they took work to a child that seemed to be giving a good fight to the ones trying to help him. His large lake coloured eyes widened in fear and rage. His sandy hair and sunkissed skin marked in blood and soot.

Caitlyn intervened trying to hold the boy down.

"Let me go!" He wailed trying to fight off the sherriff who gasped.

"Elric!" Caitlyn called. The sense of worry starting to drown her thoughts.

The boys eyes snapped to Caitlyn. His fists were balled at the collar of a paramedics shirt. "There all in there, Cait!" He screamed. Tears and rain going down his cheeks.

Caitlyn put her hands to the boy's cheeks.

"Elric, you need to listen to me." Her eyes locked with his. " You're going to be ok. Let the paramedics take care of you." The boys nostrils widened, she shook his head. "Listen to me!" She yelled capturing his attention, again as his eyes wandered toward the wreckage. " I will get them out of there, Elric. Let them help you."

The boy nodded slowly.

"Red Hexdraught." He barked as Caitlyn nodded and set off toward the pile up.

It was a frenzy.

paramedics, firefighters and bots rushed to and fro. Some screamed orders, some reacted to them, some just stood in awe to the wreckage. Caitlyn pushed her way to the fray and looked franticly around.

Her heart froze instantly as her eyes caught the Red Hexdraught Hexmobile that was turned upside down. Caitlyn reached for her hexlamp and sweeped the wreckage. Glass was scattered on the rain soaked ground. By the outside of the window was Sarah Sampson's body. The pool around her head was crimson and her eyes looked to nowhere in particular. Beside her was her husband Eli Sampson. His jaw was slack and his neck in an awkward angle. His forehead was imprinted into the steering wheel that was bent around his head.

Caitlyn's ears rang, her pulse quickened as she circled the hexmobile.

Her eye's caught a small trail in the torches's light that led toward a ditch.

Glass and blood was in the wake.

Caitlyn then heard the whimpering.

Dakota was heaving the contents of her stomach which was spewed infront of her. Her black t-shirt was soaked from the rain. Her raven black hair was tied back in a loose ponytail. The seven year old gave out a ragged sob as she tried to get back to her feet. Her shoulder sunk from the socket. She turned as she heard Caitlyn approach.

Blood flowed in a trail down her face, her icy eyes widening in fear.

Caitlyn crouched low and showed her hands to Dakota.

"Love," Caitlyn cooed softly trying to get closer to the girl. "You're going to be ok. I can get you help."

The girl stood still. Her right hand crossed her chest to her left shoulder, holding it in pain.

"You were in an accident, and you look like you are gravely wounded." Caitlyn continued as she took a step closer. Her eyes took stock of the girl. "Dakota , love, I need you to tell me if anything other than your shoulder or head that hurts."

"It hurts.. to .. breathe." The girl weased out between a sob and a whimper as Caitlyn kneeled down to the girl. Caitlyn lifted up the young child's shirt seeing that parts of her ribs on either side were becoming swollen and bruised.

"Ok , love, I'm going to need you to hold on. I'm going to contact a paramedic team to come get you." Caitlyn whspered softly brushing the girl's bangs to the side.

Dakota nodded her head slowly as tears welled at her eyes. Caitlyn reached behind her picking up the command radio. "To units available," Caitlyn called out with an authoratative tone. "Wounded civilian. Seven year old female IRTC. EMT assitance required for imeadiate help. Possible broken ribs. Located in ditch near the Red Hexdraught Hexmobile. over."

The radio crackled in Caitlyn's hand. "Roger, ETA of two minutes, prepare VIC for extraction. Over." A robotic voice replied.

Caitlyn sighed in relief.

She turned to her daughter who shook violently under the rain. Caitlyn unziped her jacket and pulled it around the seven year old, trying to block off the chill. Dakota was taking shallow breaths and winced at the struggle. She looked to Caitlyn with forelorn eyes.

"They're not gonna be ok, are they?' Dakota asked her voice going an octave higher as she fought through her tears.

Caitlyn's eyebrows knit together. Could she lie?

"I don't know, love." Caitlyn whispered sorrowfully.

( 1 week later)

The yordle lawyer sipped at his coffee carefully as he passed the files down to Peter and Caitlyn Deramore. His furry hands retracted back to his pockets and he pulled out a Hextech pocket watch. He glanced at the time and nodded in thought.

"His will requires that you follow his wishes. This will be a great opportunity for them. They won't become wards of the state." The yordle assured. "Orphanages aren't the best possible place for them. clearly stated the Company to be their guardians from hence forth."

Peter nodded. Caitlyn frowned.

"But it's the military." Caitlyn protested. "They're children."

The lawyer sighed.

"Look Ms. Sheriff." The lawyer scoffed. "Piltover Company has saved many unfortunate orphans from the lower ring. It gave them a better chance at life, with a full education, three square meals a day, comfy beds, comrades that turn into your family. The only down side are the battles. They don't send them out their without training or until they are sixteen. They'll be fine." The lawyer sat back and laced his hands behind his head. His ears twitched at the sensation "They would be Piltover's final defense line. The Demacians train them good. It's a win win situation."

Caitlyn was unsure if it was a win win.

While Piltover had Piltover Patrol to save it's citizens during dire emergencies, it never had the defense line like the military prowess of Noxus or Demacia . Piltover company was created in lieu of that during the first Rune wars. It was a company made of Piltovian prisoners who had to choose between the death sentence or protecting Piltover. The Demacians took control of the company and trained the prisoners. After a decade of it's creation citizens of the city state wanted to join the ranks. Eventually the company lost it's use after the league was created, but for Piltover's protection after tension between Ionia and Noxus began, the Company was brought back. An ever increasing orphan problem was happening in Piltover in the lower city. Soon Piltover's government decision was to kill two birds with one stone and create a solution to both problems.

Piltover company has 51 battalions, all prepped and on standby for any chance that Piltover calls for them.

"Look if it sates your worry, they're being commissioned into the fifty first. They'll be specially trained for covert ops. They'll be in the elite." The lawyer fiddled with his bowler's hat. "They will be picked up by Demacian officials by dawn. Send them well wishes, and be on with your lives."

(6 months later)

It was the pink hair that made her do the double take. Then it was the blown out concrete wall, that made her eyes widen. Then it was the criminal sailing through the air and landing with a thud so hard that it cracked the stone around him.

Caitlyn lowered the rifle in amazement.

The pinkette strode over with fury in her eyes. Her massive metal hands rolling back her shirt sleeves. Steam hissed and screeched from the massive metal as she clenched her knuckles into gigantic fists. A smug evil smile was smeared across the vigilante's face.

"Ya think you're gettin' away scott free, ass wipe!" The girl sneered. "No one comes in my neighborhood looking to hurt some innocent folks. Round here that's some shameful shit, dick juice."

She grabbed the cowering man by the lapels with one of her large guantlets and raised an eyebrow at him.

"You're not even gonna apologize?" The girl growled setting up her arm for another punch that will surely kill the weasel of a man. "That old lady ya robbed is one of the biggest sweethearts round here. She feeds street kids, for Valoran's sake!"

"I'm so sorry miss VI." The man squealed, trying to slip out of the vigilante's grip, to no avail.

Caitlyn could literally see the vein pop out of the pinkette's forehead.

"Not good enough! You're sorry you got caught," The girl snarled.

The man whimpered.

Caitlyn sighed.

Caitlyn gracefully set herself down from the building she had been perched on and strutted over to the vigilante. She set the bolt to her trusty rifle.

"Good afternoon," The young sheriff quipped.

The criminal turned his head to Caitlyn an expression of gratitude plastered on his face. However, the pinkette swore under her breath and glared daggers at the man still in her grip.

"Afternoon, sheriff," The pinkette growled between clenched teeth. Her violet eyes locked onto the criminal in her hands. "What brings ye to the lower city?"

Caitlyn cocked an eyebrow, watching the criminal sweat nervously.

"There has been talk of a vigilante, causing some trouble with the gangs." Caitlyn stated nonchalantly. "Thought I could offer you a deal." Her upper city accent flowed like satin in the rough slum area. On lookers watched curiously, children peaked behind adults who had their arms crossed over their chests.

The pinkette turned to the sheriff with a suspicious glare.

"What does a goody two shoes upper city priss want with a street rat like me?" The pinkette questioned, suspicion laced in her voice.

Caitlyn smiled slyly.

The bait was set and she was biting.

"You do good work. Vi is it?" Caitlyn questioned. The pinkette nodded cautiously.

" I need someone dedicated to cleaning up the way of life in the lower city. I need someone to help me, bring some stability. I would bet you could navigate these streets blinded easily. Come join me, and we can make a difference."

Vi dropped the criminal. The pinkette took a long stride and came face to face with Caitlyn. Her violet eyes dug into Caitlyn's icy unwavering eyes. She was about five or six inches taller then Caitlyn and towered over the young sheriff. Caitlyn was calm and raised a brow to Vi's challenging stance.

"You're saying that we partner up?" It was more of a growl then a question.

Caitlyn offered her gloved hand calmly to the pinkette, who snorted and clasped Caitlyn's hand in her massive gauntlets. Surprisingly, Vi was gentle with the shake and didn't crush the sheriff's right hand.

"Then it's settled," Caitlyn called out. She reached behind her grabbing hand cuffs and went to the dazed criminal that was dropped on the concrete. "Let's get him booked and we can discuss a contract."

Vi chuckled. Maybe this might work out.


	3. Chapter 3: Battles and Explosions

(5 years later)

Scared, angry, agitated.

Each hit was driving her instincts into wild arrays of crazed behaviors and thoughts.

She struggled and flailed from the restraints holding her wrists captive. With a grunt, the twelve year old gritted her teeth.

Whack.

The reed was digging deep into the toned back muscles. Blood streaming down her lower lumbar.

Whack.

She closed her eyes and took a sharp breath.

Whack.

"Show no pain!" The officer bellowed, reeling his arm back. The reed covered in blood and splinters. "You are a soilder of Demacia!"

Well not technically, The girl thought to herself.

"You will show no pain during this judgement!"

Whack.

She bit her cheek and focused her eyes to the massive gargoyles that stared at her from the palace walls.

Whack.

How long have those statues been there?

Whack.

This hit bit into an open wound. She fought back a growl and dug her nails into her palm, keeping her eyes locked to the stone creatures.

WHACK!

She did not waiver at the last hit. Sweat beaded at her forehead and it dripped to her nose. Her brother rushed to her and frantically, pulling off the restraints as the officer left.

"Asshole." The sixteen year old muttered. His blonde hair reflecting off the sunlight. His sapphire eyes locked onto his sisters, worry clearly taking over in his irises.

"If he thinks that will stop me."She growled warningly. Her eyes digging daggers into the man's armored back as he sauntered out of the courtyard. "He is sorrowfully mistaken." She carefully bent to grab her leather tunic that was thrown to the courtyard tiles. She winced slightly as she stood straight.

"Dakota," The boy warned placing a steadying hand on her waist to help her move forward. "Maybe you should let the soilders deal with the beggars."

Dakota scoffed.

"They torture the poor things, Elric." The girl snapped throwing her brother's hand away. "Demacia is all high and mighty until someone is begging for food." Dakota spat onto the pavement. "Now help me pull this bloody thing on. I don't want Abby or Matais seeing my back. One look and it'll be a witch hunt." Dakota threw the tunic at his chest. He shook his head in disapproval.

He sighed.

He rolled up the tunic arms. "Arms above your head, Dakota."

His sister obliged the cool leather touched her shoulders and a shiver ran down her spine making the fresh wounds sting. She hissed after a sharp breath, as the leather was placed onto the still bleeding reed reached for the leather ties at her neck and then decided against it as her back stung at the movement.

She gritted her teeth as she strode out of the courtyard. The two kept silent as they walked their way toward their barracks. The Demacian streets were nothing like upper city Piltover. Instead of having star rods to illuminate their street ways they had lanterns that turned on with gases and a man walking in stilts igniting the wicks. The roadways weren't cobbled but were paved with brick and cement. Not a single Hexmobile was seen, unlike the upper city where only the elite had hexmobiles. Carriages with horses and oxen took over the roads and paths. Markets sang with scents that aroused anyone's nose who passed by. Stalls were littered along the walkways, trying to heckle anyone into buying something. Soldiers would pass each other by. Some would salute in respect to the others rank, some would nod at each other, a silent gesture of camaraderie. They entered into the barracks in the royal center.

The military base was placed near the city center in Demacia's capital. The base shared the location of the Lightshield palace. Every once in a blue moon, you can see the crowned king and prince observing their hard working soldiers as they trained tirelessly. Piltover company however had their fifty one barracks placed at the outskirts of the military base. Their buildings almost like shacks compared to the stone and brick monuments the Demacians were housed in.

Dakota pushed through the door of the fifty first barracks. It was a long buidling that opened up to a long row of twelve beds. At the foot of each bed there were royal blue footlockers with Piltover's emblem painted on the top. Every bed was made to the specifications of military life. Sheets were held so tight you could bounce a Demacian gold piece off the surface.

On the far bed was Alexander Preston, a fourteen year old with the cockiest smile in all of Valoran plastered to his face, scuffing his combat boots to a perfect shine. Across from him, was his seventeen year old sister, Abbigail, who was aggressively doing the same. Matais, the eldest of the bunch at the age of eighteen, was invested as he leaned in to get a better look as Alexander placed the finished polished boot onto his foot locker, rasing his eyebrow at his sister. Abbie swore under her breath and reached into her pocket and slapped down gold coins on her foot locker. Alex got to his feet and cockily put his hands behind his head and reached for the gold coins.

Abbigail launched herself at the boy and wrapped her tawny arms around his neck. Matais fell to his back holding his stomach as his laugh shook the barracks.

Alexander growled as he clawed at his sister's arms.

"Nu uh brat,"Abbie called out playfully. Her right arm came up and she maneuvered the teenager so that his face was pressed against her abdomen. She placed her fist onto the top of Alex's head and nuggied the boy who squirmed helplessly in his sister's iron like grip. The freckles at her cheeks bunched together with her crinkled chocolate eyes. Her rose coloured hair tied in a tight bun, bounced with her laughter. She had a tall figure with toned muscles around her body.

Alex grimaced and slipped from his sister's grasp. His fiery hair was cut short to military standards. He was at least a few inches shorter then Abbigail, but everyone knew by the time he was fifteen he'd be at least a foot taller then his sister. He glared at his sister with mud coloured eyes and scoffed.

"You're just salty cause I'm the fastest." His wide grin going back into a cocky side smile.

Abbie chuckled, "That ain't something to be proud of, shrimp."

When they had met, Dakota was terrified of the two street kids. She was ten and the youngest of the unit. Abbie and Alex were scrappy and didn't want to conform to the Demacian way of life. The two were inseparable and quiet, only keeping to themselves and if anyone crossed them the wrong way they were beaten to a pulp. Abbie was one of the strongest amateur fighters Dakota had ever witnessed. Alex was a close second. They were both lanky and skinny, easy to escape sticky situations, but when they were hit they knew how to take it.

They didn't warm up to anyone, in fact one guy got too curious and suffered a fractured skull and femur, when he tried to introduce himself to the siblings.

The only thing that got the two out of their shells was fighting.

Dakota was still learning the basics to close quarter combat. Elric would talk through stances and strikes when she would practice during the weekends. The two would spar tirelessly. One day during their spar, the Prestons had walked in curious of the sounds of fighting. Abbie had scoffed and told Elric that he sucked, making Elric's ego flatten. Eventually Abbie took control of the situation and showed the Sampsons the trick to being up close and personal. The Prestons and Sampsons became thick as thieves and were a force to be reckoned with.

The door burst open, bringing Dakota out of the memory. Her body snapped taught as the commander enered into the room. She winced at her stinging back, but ignored it as they all stood to attention. Their hands all up to their brows in a salute.

The commander looked over the young soldiers and nodded his approval.

"At ease, fifty first." With well oiled discipline the five teenagers put their hands behind ther backs and looked to their commander.

"Tensions are rising on the borders again."The commander stepped toward his troops. "I know the fifty first is short on soldiers, but the Demacians need your expertise."

No, Dakota thought to herself as her head snapped to her sixteen year old brother. Gods No, not him, Not Elric. Please.

"Anyone at the age of sixteen or older will be going to the front lines to help relieve the pressure. Anyone younger then sixteen will be assisting the medics. You will be briefed tomorrow at o'six hundred then you will be deployed. Prepare for battle."

(1 week later)

She hefted the body onto her back. Her light armor was starting to weigh her down. Her leather boots gripped into the muddy ground. Blood was all over her, it was never her own, only the ones she dragged off the battlefields.

There had been seven charges since they'd been here. Both Demacians and Noxians had lost great numbers, multiple times Dakota would rush back to Camp and sob into her brother's shoulder relieved he had survived. She would witness Alex doing the same as Abbie would return with a cocky grin on her tan face and her staff bloodied and dented. Matais would then enter into the tent covered in dirt and crystal dust from the mages using shards of crystals to hold off the Noxian fronts. All of them would be exhausted and happy they would live another day. All of them would sleep on each other's shoulders and awake to the same routine.

Prepare for battle.

Pray to whatever gods you believed in and say your partial goodbyes.

She threw the lifeless corpse to the head medic as she popped into the tent. The man's face was half gone from some swipe of a sharp blade. He had bled out, nothing she could have done to save the soul. The medic nodded to the girl and gave out the next coordinates. She passed by Alex as she left the tent. On his shoulder was a woman in her early twenties with a gash across her knee and hamstrings. Alex grunted a welcome and Dakota did the same. She grabbed the canteen that was strapped to her hip taking a large gulp of water before heading off into the smoke of battle.

It wasn't long until she got close to the scene, when she heard the screams. The sounds of swords going into heavily armored guts, or the sound of someone overpowering them. She had to be at the front lines.

She felt the hand before she knew someone was there. The hand grasped at her ankles. She looked down to the injured soldier. A throwing knife was lodged into his chest and he was having a hard time breathing. She bent down to him pulling out the field bandages and trying to compress the wound like they told her, trying not to aggravate the knife from getting lodged further.

He grabbed her by the collar with a harsh strength that a dying man should not posses.

"They haven't finished their attack." He wheezed. "They'll be pushing forward any minute now, get your comrades out of here." His hand began to loosen it's grip. "I was... a... runner...just ...like...you..." He managed through shallow breaths. "Please make it quick, young one." He gasped taking Dakota's hand and pushing the blade deeper into his chest. The mans eyes widened and with a final breath he stopped moving.

Dakota was mortified.

Her pulse quickened and her sight began to fuzz at the edge. She was only a child, why must she take part in such horrendous activities.

Then she heard a familiar cry. A familiar shout of help. A familiar voice that made her entire body freeze.

She snapped out of her revelry, grabbed the throwing knife from the dead man's chest and sprinted into the direction of the cry.

"ELRIC!" She screamed, praying to the gods for her brother to call back.

"DAKOTA!" His scream was bloodcurdling.

She broke through the smoke into a clearing with bodies everywhere. Deteriorating flags whipping into the battle continued with both forces in a clash of blades and death.

But what caught her attention was her brother being pinned to the mud by a noxian soilder twice his size. Her blood boiled as her brother tried to throw the hulk of a man. They were in a desperate struggle as the man tried to run a sword through Elric's throat.

Dakota tightened her grip on the throwing knife and ran full tilt into the unsuspecting Noxian. She grabbed the man's neck with her small arms and tried to keep a tight grip to suffocate the man. With a war cry worthy of any warrior she plunged the knife into the man's jugular. His hands came up clawing at her as the blood gurgled from his mouth and spewed all over the black plated armor. Dakota screamed and pulled the dying man backwards and onto his back.

War cries echoed out as drums beat their war songs. Dakota looked at the man she killed, her icy blue hues looking into the empty pits of the enemy. She could feel her brother try to shake her out of her hypnosis.

"There's more coming." She spoke with a soft monotone voice. Her eyes observed the battlefield, every person was struggling in a dance of death.

It was the oncoming battle cries of hundreds running into a fray that brought Dakota back to the current reality. Demacians froze as they watched the charge thunder toward them. The sounds of the commanders unleashing orders were almost drowned out by the mighty Noxians screaming their minds off as they crashed into the front lines. Shields were raised in time as the Demacians prepared themselves in a defensive formation. Shiltrons and spears raised and pierced thick armor, holding back the massive waves of the crazed warriors. Why wasn't anyone coming to support them? Why wasn't their a second charge to answer to the Noxian attack?

"They need to fall back, Elric." She realized with urgency . "The Demacians are going to get trampled down if another wave comes in like that again. Find the Captain and tell them to fall back fast."

Dakota took quick steps backwards as she prepared to sprint back to the defensive lines.

"Where are you going?" Elric called out.

"To relay the message!" She called back. "Get them back to the trenches!"

She turned on her heels and launched herself over fallen bodies. She leaped over barbed wire and fox holes and slid into the defensive trench with madness in her eyes. Soldiers tried to grab her arms to steady the girl who was spewing out warnings to prepare for an attack.

One of them grabbed her head with both his hands and shook the child. Reacting on instinct the girl lashed out hitting the soldier in the nose with a fast strike. She dodged out of the way of others trying to detain the girl. Just as she approached the commander's headquarters that were dug out from the trench wall she was tackled down hard.

"Get off of me!" She screeched digging her nails into the soldiers eyes. "Commander!"

Someone hit her, she gasped in pain as they pressed themselves onto her still raw back from the cane marks. Dakota howled in pain and threw the unsuspecting soldier off of her. As she got back up she slammed into a heavily armored man.

With an "oof" Dakota fell to her bottom and looked up to the man.

"What in the seven void hells is going on here?" He questioned his eyes digging into the girl who wiped the blood from her nose.

"Sir," She replied swallowing hard." A second charge of Noxians is starting to over power the front lines. My brother is informing the captain of the front lines to fall back to defensive lines. If we do this we can regain our wits and take out the remaining Noxian charge. It's a tactical withdrawal that will save many lives and help us win this battle."

The commander raised an eyebrow to the girl. Then nodded thoughtfully.

"Prepare for oncoming forces!" The comander bellowed. "Anderson, get your men over the wall and set up your shiltron defenses. Yord get the medics prepared for an intake."

Like a well oiled machine the Demacians prepared for the oncoming attack. Within five minutes the soldiers that were falling back were in view.

"READY YOURSELVES!" The commander ordered over the colossol sound of swords clashing with wood and metal. "Forward!" With a deafening roar that rivaled the Noxian charge the Demacians pushed themselves over the wall and slammed into the Noxian line.

(2 years later)

She blew the smoke out from her thin lips. The autumn wind bit through her leather jacket and she shivered internally.

"Jesus Cupcake, we couldn't have done this on the streets?" She questioned taking another long drag from her cigarette.

"No," Was the quick reply. The sheriff was prone on the skyscraper's ledge. Her Hextech sights whirred and clicked into place as she zoned in to the targeted windows. Her finger went to the safety and switched it off. She chambered the round and Vi smiled devilishly.

Cait was in the mood to kick ass.

She squished the butt of the cigarette at the bottom of her boot. She reached into her pockets and pulled out the wraps. With precision and practice Vi wrapped her knuckles and then kneeled to her babies. Her hands slid into the metal fists and the steam sighed in relief. Vi chuckled darkly as her metal fingers rolled easily into fists. The new oil Jayce recommended definitely made a difference.

"Let's kick some mob boss ass," Vi growled her fists slammed into her other metallic palm.

Caitlyn nodded behind the scope. "All units, prepare for unleash. Over." The radio crackled with acknowledged replies. "Vi, please stick to the plan on this one."Her voice was uncharacteristically pleading.

Vi's eyebrows knit together. "Cait, you ok?" Caitlyn then turned her attention to Vi, a small smile splayed on her lips.

"This is an important mission , Vi. These men have ties to C. If one thing goes wrong the future of Piltover to could be affected gravely. We need to ensure that these men get their taste of harsh justice and questioning."

Vi slapped on a cocky smile. "No worries Cupcake. You can count on me. These dirt bags aren't going anywhere." With that, Vi had pushed through the massive roof door and disappeared down the long flights of steps.

Caitlyn sighed. Caitlyn looked to the pinks and oranges of the early morning sky. Piltovian doves cooed to their flocks as they perched themselves on the ledges beside her. She was in her all black attire. Her black cargo pants, and long sleeved shirt helped hide her among the Goliath of the skyscrapers. She pulled the black scarf over her face. She reached into her back pocket and pulled out the photograph of early times.

It was a picture of Dakota on her fifth birthday. I wide grin plastered on her cake covered lips. Beside her was the mop of blonde hair that was her older brother who had his arm around her neck. Behind them was Caitlyn and Sarah. Caitlyn had been in her Police regalia, her sheriff's badge glowing as brightly as her smile. Her lithe hand rested on Dakota's small shoulder and Elric's blonde hair.

"Happy Birthday, love." She whispered to the photograph.

"Unleash is in position. Over" A voice crackled over the communicator.

"And ready to kick ass." Vi screamed through the radio.

Caitlyn couldn't help but chuckle. She cleared her throat. "Operation Unleash is a go."Caitlyn ordered. "Phase one to commence."

Her eyes then went to the sights. The target was facing the window. A crystal glass of Ionian fire water was in his massive hands. He was in a white dress shirt with a grey vest. At his neck was a white cravat with a gold broach of a shackled hand.

"Our target is located on the fourth floor, in front of the bay window. He is in a grey vest and has sandy shoulder length hair. He is accompanied by three guards. Unleash prepare for first rounds. After the signal enter with restraint. Do not kill our target. He has valuable information. Over." Caitlyn commanded through the radio.

"Roger that Cupcake."

Caitlyn rolled her eyes.

"Phase two will begin in three," He fingers went to the trigger."Two," She dragged the muzzle to the first guard, easily setting up for a clean shot. "One."

Boom.

Caitlyn took the kick of the rifle using it's momentum to pull back the lever, the bullet casing falling beside her. The next bullet was chambered in a matter of milliseconds. Her eyes already scanning for the next guard. They looked frightened. They covered over the target. The one she had her sights on, looked to the skyscraper his rifle up and ready to fire. She squeezed the trigger.

Boom.

"Too slow," Caitlyn snarled, rechambering the next round.

She went back to the sights and watched as the final guard stood up. He was in a defensive stance. He had a mean looking hexpistol pointed toward the door.

She watched as plaster flew in his direction. He ducked out of the way and then was grabbed by metal fists. Caitlyn watched as the man sailed out of the window. His screams echoed and then suddenly stopped as he smashed into the streets below.

Caitlyn sighed.

"Don't you think that was a bit excessive Vi," She said through the communicator, as she watched her other officers swarm the Target.

'Gotta put the fear of Gods in them somehow, right Fuckface?"Caitlyn could hear the whimpering of the mob boss from Vi's end of the radio. "Yeah he agrees. I say we go to The Split Crow. First round's on me boys!"

Caitlyn palmed her face. "Just get him to the prison, before more of his croonies happen upon us taking him in custody."

"Yeah yeah,"Vi dismissed through the communicator.

A soudn then caught Caitlyn's attention. She stood up from her prone position, raising her rifle up to get a better view.

"What in the void?" Caitlyn whispered.

What she saw made her entire body freeze. A blue haired girl as thin as paper was on top of a rocket surrounded by at least twelve other rockets as big as hexmobiles, flying toward Piltover. Caitlyn's icy eyes widened.

"Oh bloody hell!" She went to the communicator at her ear. "Vi get everyone out of there Now!" She screamed.

"Cupcake what's going on?"

"Get the bloody hell out of there! The City is being attacked." Caitlyn strapped the rifle to her back and sprinted to the massive door. She pulled at it but the door wouldn't budge. "Damnit!"

She looked to the blue haired maniac who was fast approaching toward the city. She took a deep breath. She pulled the rifle off her back and took to the scope. The whirring and clacking of gears set her heart into a calming beat and she pulled back the bolt.

Boom.

She watched the girl take the hit. The girl clasped her shoulder. Her maniacal laugh louder then the roar of the fast approaching rockets. The girl grabbed a massive machine gun from behind her, the gun already rotating.

Caitlyn's eyes widened and she rolled out of the way of the pepper of bullets.

The explosions were deafening. The sound of granite and metal screeching as buildings began to topple. Caitlyn watched in horror as the tower that Vi was in collapsed slowly.

"Vi!" The sheriff's scream was bloodcurdling.

"If you think that was amazing, you should see what I have got in store Miss Hat Lady." Caitlyn turned to the squeaky voice. The blue braids flew from the massive aftershocks of buildings collapsing around the two marksmen. The girl was covered in belts and tattoos. "I wonder if Fat hands is ok. She seems like she could take a few hits of those without a scratch."

"Who are you?" Caitlyn demanded, her hands already working to chamber the next round.

"They call me Jinx. And I'm here cause I'm bored and your city needs some touch ups. I do have to say though hat lady, your aim is quite impeccable. That shot stung. But you're gonna have to do better then that to get me."

Caitlyn was ... confused. She didn't even know. She just looked at the girl with an eyebrow raised.

"Well with out any further adieu."The girl popped up a shark looking weapon."I'd like you to meet Fishbones! BOOOOOOOM!"


	4. Chapter 4: Partners and Infiltrations

**A/N Hello folks of varying gender and what not. I hope you wonderful people are having a good day :3 Anyways, sorry it has taken a while since the last chapter upload it's been crazy as frick, and I have been quite the busy little bee. So sorry if this seemed rushed, but I couldn't put this chapter off any longer. Anyhooters, on with the show.**

The company was in a flurry of rampage and anger. The commanders stood on the platforms trying to get the soldiers to quiet down long enough for them to finish what they needed to say.

"Piltover is in a state of emergency. The Battalions that we had been called out will be deployed within minutes after this briefing. There will be no ifs ands or buts about this situation, do as your told or we will inflict court martial on all those feeling gutsy enough to go against orders."

"Why not all of us?" A soldier called out. Sounds of agreement echoed from the groups of different units. "Some of us haven't been home for decades!"

"The situation isn't dire enough to deploy all troops, as we have explained before. Now the second, eighth, twenty third and fiftieth, get prepared for deployment, this briefing is dismissed."

Dakota watched silently as the large company began to filter through the exits. She turned her head to her brother, who hung his head and sighed. She gently patted her brother's large shoulders. He scratched his chin, following his short blonde beard to the back of his head.

"Next time, El." She whispered. Looking to her brother, who took a deep breath and pushed himself off the wall he had been leaning on.

Abbie sauntered over with the ferocity of a caged animal. Behind her Matais wrung his knuckles and Alex hung his head low.

"Those fuckers!" Abbie growled. "We're the fifty first we should be out there!"

Elric raised a blonde eyebrow to Abbie and then looked to his sister.

Dakota rolled her eyes. "They need infantry forces not covert ops. Do you really think they want speacialized forces out in public helping patrons of a destroyed city?" She asked to the red head.

Abbie blinked.

"They're most likely going to take us aside and give us a mission that was tuned for our 'expertise'." Elric finished crossing his arms over his chest.

Dakota nodded. "Exactly, couldn't have said it better myself."

Matais grunted in agreement. His green eyes focused to his boots.

"It still sucks." The twenty four year old muttered. Dakota placed a hand on his olive toned shoulder.

"We'll get home sometime, guys. We just have to be patient." Dakota said calmly.

A cough disrupted the group.

The runner looked exhausted.

"Running all day?" Alex asked.

The runner looked slightly annoyed at the question. "Someone's got get you little shits some Battalion fifty-one?" He spat.

Elric nodded. The runner chuckled darkly, as he looked Elric up and down. "You look you would be a nasty guy to go against. I feel sorry for the enemy already."

Dakota's eyes darkened as she ripped the parchment from the runner's hand. The runner raised an eyebrow at the fourteen year old.

"Thank you for your time," Dakota said icily, making the runner roll his eyes and disappear into the fray.

"Easy there Ice queen, no one is being mean to your brother."Alex snorted, making Dakota turn on her heels and glare daggers at him.

Matais rolled his eyes and pushed past the two young members of the fifty first. "Pass the orders before you two go toe to toe with each other, my gods." He scolded, taking the yellowed parchments. He unfurled the scroll and let his eyes drift on the cursive ink. He froze and re read and re read and re read.

"Oh, man."

(4 Hours later)

Her head buzzed.

It was dark.

She was lost.

She was dizzy.

She was scared.

She was pinned by granite and steel.

She could hear people screaming, sirens wailing and her partner calling her name.

Wait.

Vi?

"CAITLYN!" It sounded so desperate. Vi's voice sounded like it was on the verge of breaking. "CAITLYN WHERE ARE YOU?"

She tried to speak up, but her voice was hoarse. She coughed a couple of times, trying to get the dust out of her lungs.

"Everybody shut the fuck up!" Vi screamed. Silence took over and Caitlyn tried to speak again.

"Vi?" It was weak, but maybe it was enough.

"Cupcake?" Her voice was getting closer.

"Vi, I'm here!" Caitlyn's voice was getting stronger, yet so was her headache, and the pain in her ribs, and the pain in her wrist.

She could hear grunting. Rubble was thrown, that was one thing she could deduce. Vi swore angrily at a stubborn rubble bit.

"Hang on, Cupcake." Vi's voice was soothing. "I'll get you out in a jiff."

She could hear steam and the sound of granite moaning in protest. With a final grunt, light hit Caitlyn's sensitive eyes.

Then she smelled Vi. The familiar smell of oil, metal, and steam. She could hear Vi's Gauntlets being disengaged. She could hear them falling to the rubble.

"Jesus, Cait." Vi's voice was a whisper by her ear as Vi crouched next to her wrapping her muscular arms around Caitlyn's small shoulders. "I thought I lost you." Caitlyn could feel Vi's jaw tense. She pulled back and placed a hand on Vi's tattooed cheek. "Are you hurt?"

"My ribs deffinetly feel broken." Was Caitlyn's tense reply.

"Aww shit, Cupcake. Hold on." Gingerly Vi, manneuvered her sheriff so that she was pressed against the brawler's chest. She lifted Caitlyn up with ease and set off toward the waiting ambulences.

"Vi we need to..."Caitlyn winced as she took a breath. Yes her ribs were deffinetly broken."We need to set up a state of emergency."

"Already handeled, Cupcake. Some Company is coming down to give out relief aid."

"Piltover Company?"

"Yeah that one. Didn't know we had a millitary. Who knew?" Vi socffed walking past debris and fire. "The mayor already went off to Demacia to deal with a covert ops team. "

Caitlyn's eyes widened.

"The fiftyfirst." Caitlyn said monotoniously.

"Yeah, those dudes." Vi skidded to a halt as a paramedic stepped forward guiding Vi to the closest ambulance.

"You found her!" A handsome man with slicked back hair came over worryingly to Vi and Caitlyn. "Here I can handle it from here, Vi. Great work."

"Fuck off, Jayce!" Vi snarled, pulling Caitlyn in protectively. "She's my partner and I found her in the rubble. Go take your fake hero saving ass somewhere else."

Jayce rolled his eyes. "The mayor needs to know who's responsible Sheriff. He's dead set that it's the Zaunites."

Vi carefully placed Caitlyn on a gurney with the help of the paramedics.

"The person who did this is criminally insane. She called herself Jinx." Caitlyn watched as Vi froze like ice at the tapped the reaction into her brain for later. " She's extrememly dangerous." Caitlyn hissed out as the paramedics began to tape her ribs and clean out the gash on her head.

She hadn't notice that gash before. Caitlyn watched as Vi's jaw set in agitation. "Be careful with her,"Vi growled warningly toward the paramedic.

Caitlyn caught her violet eyes and gave a gentle smile. "I'm going to be ok, Vi. No need to rip anyone's head off."

Vi nodded and scratched the back of her head . Her mood had gone sour, and the grumpiness showed in her stance. Caitlyn rolled her eyes, and put her attention toward Jayce.

" I'm going to need you to get an APB out for a girl in her early twenties with cloud like tattoos around her arms. She's about five four with blue braids and pink eyes." Jayce nodded and set off toward the direction of the police department. Caitlyn then turned her icy eyes to Vi. Whatever the medics had given her she felt like a new person. "We need to get on the street and find her, before she does anymore damage."

Vi chuckled increduosuly, crossing her arms over her chest. "You sure Cupcake?"

"My city will not burn tonight." Caitlyn's icy eyes bore into Vi's, challenging her to disagree.

A devilish grin spread on Vi's lips as she put her hands up defensively. " Alright. Let's take out this brat."

(That Night)

The train car rattled as they entered into Zaun territory. Dakota kept her footing as she and her unit gripped the hand railings. All of them dooned the fifty-first's unifrom of black denim pants, black cotton undershirt, with black leather and plate metal armour over their chests. Ontop of the chest armour was a leather tunic with a hood attached to the back. Dakota shook from the nerves and adrenaline coursing through her veins. Their mission was simple.

Disable the security systems, infiltrate the compound, gather as much information as possible, set up for extraction and kill anyone or anything in their way.

She fondeled the hextech bug that whirred and clicked noisely. A little invention of hers to take on the defenses. Hextech seemed to be a thing that Dakota was quite good at. Hextech and killing people. Seemed only fair. Creativity for destruction.

Her young knuckles were wrapped in cotton and tape to protect her fists for close combat. The twin axes bounced anxiously from her belt, sharper then the day she first made them. Elric clapped her armoured shoulder.

"I never got a chance to give you this." He yellled over the sound of the train screeching on the brakes. They must have been close to their checkpoint. She looked to brother's hand. A small box wraped in green paper stood in his palm.

"With all the hubub going on in Piltover I didn't have a chance to give it to you. Happy Fourteenth Birthday Dakota!"

Dakota looked to her brother and wrapped her arms around his waist. She took the box gingerly and carefully ripped the paper from the box. She opened the small latch and produced a thick golden band. She gasped at the sapphires lined along the outside.

"Read the inscription." Elric's smile was contagious as usual for her brother.

"We accept the love we think we deserve." Dakota looked at her brother confused. He chuckled.

"It was mom's wedding ring. There's a chain for you to wear it around your neck." He reached underneath his armour, producing a similiar looking band. "I have dad's, it's only right you get hers."

"Oh, El," She looked to her brother. "This is amazing. Here help me put it on." She placed the ring on the gold chain and passed it along her brother. She pulled her raven locks out of the way and he clasped the lock on the chain around the loop. Dakota grabbed the ring placing a small kiss on it and dropped it underneath her armour.

Abbie then interupted the heart felt moment.

"Time to get painted up, scrub." She grabbed Dakota and placed the black warpaint on the girl's cheeks and forehead. She then went on her tiptoes to do Elric, who tried to push the girl off. "Stop fidgeting, this will help camoflage us."

Elric rolled his eyes and allowed Abbie to finish.

The group then huddeled around each other.

"How's the bug, Dakota?" Matais asked. She produced the hextech mechanism infront of her comrades.

"It's surprising how little energy it takes to keep it running. It packs a punch too. We should have an ETA of four hours before it starts to stutter." She replied.

"Stutter?" Alex asked supiciously.

"When it starts to fail." She translated.

"That's more then enough time." Alex whispered. He looked to his sister. "Right?"

Abbie scoffed. "Way more then enough. We should be in and out in no more then fifteen minutes."

All of them looked to each other.

Dakota threw her wrapped hand in the middle of the huddle. Hands began to pile up on top of each other. "No matter what happens tonight, we are a family. Let's get this done and go home."

Everyone nodded and with a final shout of Fifty first they disbanded. The train car door opened revealing a decripped old train station. Their commanding officer stood on the old wood flooring. He was in classic officer uniform. Every metal on his chest gleaming in the full moon light. His wool jacket bit off the harsh autumn air. His combat boots shined to near perfect polish.

"Good evening fifty-first. You are now standing on the Piltovian Zaunite border. Please ensure all your equipment is checked. Three kilometers west from here is your targeted location. Ensure that you remain undetected by Zaunite authorities. Return here when you have completed the mission. Your extraction will the ensue. Any questions?" He barked.

All of them shook their hooded heads.

"Good," A sly grin spread along the officer's lips. "Give 'em hell, Fifty-first."

Like bullets the soldiers took off. Dakota being the fastest runner of the bunch lead the way. Alex was close behind her, vaulting over fallen logs like a deer in the wilderness. Behind him was Elric and Abbie constantly vying for position. Abbie had a cocky smile splayed on her thin lips as she over took Elric. With a low growl Elric pushed himself forward so that the two were neck and neck, his short sword and shield drawn and ready. But above them was Matais, using his magics to propell him through the night sky. His green eyes glowing as he muttered incantations.

Dakota skidded to a halt as the massive compound came into a view. Surrounded by forest the goliath stood at an astounding height. Barbed wire and massive towers covered the entire top of the stone wall. Dakota looked to her comrades as they kneeled beside her. She reached in behind her pulling out the metal bug. With a low whistle from her lips, the bug propped itself on it's tiny metallic legs. Small wings came out from it's back. It's black beady eyes looked to it's creator. Another low whistle produced from Dakota's lips and the hextech creature began to fly and buzzed off toward the compound.

Her brother watched in awe as the creature, just a small speck to the trained eye, hovered over the compound. With a shrill whistle from Dakota the creature responded with a high pitched frequency. Suddenly the lights on the towers flashed off and the sounds of panic and distress echoed from the compound walls. With a flash the five teenagers burst from the foliage. Dakota took out her axes and burried them into the concrete slabs of the compound wall. She climbed up the walls easily. As she came to the barbed wire, she cut at the line with her axe. She pulled the barbed wire our of the way. She pulled herself over the top of the wall. Taking a deep breath she sheathed her axes at her belt and pulled her pack off her shoulders. With speed Dakota pulled an ascension line. She pulled out a spike and hammer. Taking the line she pulled a quick ,yet sturdy knot around the spike and stabbed it into the white concrete wall. With a few slams of the hammer, the spike was secured.

"Hey!"

Dakota's head snapped to the voice.

A tall man stood with a pistol shaking in his grip. Dakota rose from her crouch, showing her hands to the man.

"Easy there, buddy." Dakota warned taking a step toward the man.

"Stay back!" He growled making the hextech pistol shake more in his grip. Dakota eyed the slim man. He obviously hadn't been trained in proper usage of such a weapon. The way he shook, the way he stood, it all seemed off.

Dakota took another step toward him, slower then the last one, testing the man's movements. He didn't react.

Perfect.

With blinding speed Dakota launched herself forward and dove ontop of the slim man. Dakota gathered control of her position on top the man. Her knee went straight to his throat as she pinned him to the gravel and sand. She grabbed his wrist twisting it, so that the pistol fell out of his grip. With his free hand the man scratched at Dakota's knee as it cut off the air from his throat. She pulled her fist back, and threw the punch into his jaw, making his neck twist and snap. His body went limp instantly.

A quiet death.

She brushed the dirt off her tunic and hefted the body into her arms. She threw the limp corpse over the edge of the wall watching it tumble and thump into the ground. She sighed and went back to work at the acesnsion line. She threw the line over the edge and soon her unit was kneeled beside her.

Alex and Matais moved in one direction and Abbie, Dakota and Elric moved in the oppisite. They got to the ground level with ease. All of the guards must have been posted to the front gates prepared for whatever threat might burst from it. They stuck to the shadows as people looking like sceintists ran in panic toward the main buidling. Elric looked to Abbie and nodded his head, the three of them followed the shadows and came to a large metal door that looked like it had seen better days. With deft hands Abbie broke the lock with efficency, with a shriek sounding like a hundred dying souls she opened the door and pushed Elric and Dakota into the buidling with haste. They looked up to the rafters on the ceiling.

Elric bent low, sheathing his short sword and placing his shield on to his back. He interlocked his fingers. Abbie stepped into his palms, and placed her hands onto his large shoulders. Elric hoisted Abbie up and she grabbed the wooden beam, pulling herself up into a crouch she looked down signalling for Dakota to come up next. Dakota nodded and place her foot into Elric's palms and grabbed Abbie's outstretched arms. Abbie then sat onto the beam, Dakota moved to her legs holding Abbie's thighs down, as Abbie fell back, hanging low enough for Elric to grip her arms. They swung back and forth and with a final grunt Abbie swung Elric up into the rafters. He crawled up the wooden beams and looked to his comrades with a wide grin. They moved onward, sneaking into the bussiest of hallways, where scientests flitted back and forth, holding equipment and papers. A guard below them was screaming orders holding a nasty looking rifle.

"Get rid of all the evidence. If the Leagues find this we could ruin everything!" A tall old man growled. He had a balding head with liver spots all over his scalp. His eyes were hidden behind modern looking spectacles. For an old man he looked like he had a nice physique. He had a barelling chest, that was in a well tailored suit. A scientist scurried over to the man with a prideful smile.

"The Experiment has based itself onto Piltovian territory, Professor Stanwick."

The man grinned evilly. "Good ensure that X, will be welcomed as a hero, when she returns."

"Yes, professor. We still haven't found the cause of the power failure. All of our emergency systems are still offline."

The professor nodded thoughtfully. "Ensure that the guards are on their toes, it may be a glitch in the power systems again."

With that the scientist bowed and left with an armload of paperwork.

The Professor smirked to the bustle of sceintists. "Phase two, will be ready within a few months time, gentlemen. Those damn piltites won't know what hit them!" He sneered. He swung his cane around and turned on his heels. "Now hurry, this place is going to blow to the high heavens."

Abbie, looked to Elric and Dakota. Her hands communicating the plan. They watched as the Professor exited the building throwing open the entrance doors.

As the doors swung closed, the three soldiers dropped from the ceiling's rafters. Dakota landed on the ordering guard, her combat knife stuck into his chest. With a final gasp the man fell to his knees. She pulled her twin axes from her belt twirling them in her hands, trying to intimidate the scientists.

"If I were you, I would drop to the ground and put your hands on your heads."

All of the scientists imediately fell to there sobbed in fear, some kept quiet and calm, but one still stood, looking to the soldiers nervously. Sweat beaded at his forehead. Abbie sauntered over taking her staff and slamming it into to the man's gut, making him double over. She slammed the other end of her staff onto his back making him fall to his hands and knees. Elric stood in a guard postion with short sword drawn and ready. He slammed the thick metal onto the shield on his left arm making the scientists jump in fear at the sound. Dakota flushed through the files and paper grabbing as much information as possible and stuffing it into a large messenger bag. Dakota then moved over to one of the sceintist, pulling them up into a standing position. She placed the edge of the axe to the scientists throat and dragged her to the eixt. Elric grabbed a cannister and threw it into the room allowing the gas to make the scientists fall unconcious. He slammed the door behind him as Abbie covered their backs. As they came to the front entrance of the building Dakota threw the scientist to Abbie. Dakota pulled out rope and tied the woman's hands and ankles together. Then with a quick pinch to her shoulder the scientist fell limp.

Elric put his shield and sword back and threw the woman onto his shoulder. They flew from the entrance hurrying to the shadows to hide from the scurrying guards that began to patrol the perimeter of the compound. They crawled up back to the wall where Matais and Alex were crouched in hiding. The two showed their messenger bag of loot and information to the other group. The team then began their repel down from the compound walls. As they all dropped to safety and into the thicket of the forest Dakota released a final low whistle. The bug, whirred and clicked and flew back to it's creator. It perched itself in her open palm, landing on the soft cotton of the knuckle wraps.

As they ran through the woods, the sounds of distant alarms blared from the compound.

The sense of sucess rolled through her body making a wide grin spread through her lips.


	5. Chapter 5: Affection and Disgust

**A/N hey beautiful people. Hope you enjoy this chapter. I've been home sick from kidney stones so here is my distraction. I have been getting wonderful reviews from some amazing people. :3 Yall are just wonderful. 3**

(While the fifty first are busy infiltrating the compound of professor Stanwick)

She wasn't supposed to be here.

She had left her, no she had left _them_ behind.

Why now of all times?

Gods, she needed to get her head out of the gutter. Her rough palms went through the unshaved side of her head. Her pink locks going in between her grimy fingers. The full moon broke through the clouds of fire and debris, basking in her neon pink hair. Beside her the metal fists, beckoned her to wear them and take them out to find that brat. She spat onto the rubble of a blown building. Her violet eyes trailed Caitlyn as her sheriff, knelt beside shrapnel from one of the bomb casings.

"It's Zaunite material," Vi scoffed as she pushed herself off the rubble piece. "It's made of different alloys then Piltovian metals." She knelt beside Caitlyn, her calloused fingers gliding over the smooth metal.

Caitlyn looked to her partner with a searching gaze. Vi took her eyes away from the sheriff, looking at the opposite direction to the remains of one of the buildings.

Vi had been more defensive and snarky then per usual. Her skull breaking attitude was lost to the winds of exhaustion. Dark circles shadowed Vi's violet hues, showing the stress and guilt clearly in her eyes.

Caitlyn gently grabbed Vi's jaw bringing her to face her partner.

"You know her?" Caitlyn asked quietly, watching the guilt wash over her. Guilt turned to bitter anger. Vi's jaw went taut as wire. Her nostrils flared.

"Figures." Vi spat. "Can't hide shit from you."

Caitlyn raised her eyebrow. "Vi." She warned.

Vi's lips pulled in disdain. She focused her eyes to the ground where a boot print held to the dirt.

That little, bitch.

She had never been like this. Never been this homicidal maniac. She was smart, caring, hell she lead countless successful jobs that gave a great payout, but this.

No.

It couldn't have been her.

This wasn't _her._

Caitlyn could've heard the name wrong, or someone was copy catting, trying to get under her skin.

Fuck.

With a frustrated growl, Vi turned to a massive piece of rubble and slammed her fist into the inanimate object. She was shaking uncontrollably. Her muscles tensing, ready for a fight, ready to just bust heads and take names.

Caitlyn cautiously got up from her crouch. She came to Vi's front taking her brawlers hands gingerly, watching the blood pool from her left knuckles. She looked up to Vi who simmered in her stew of anger. With a gentle sigh she pulled out gauze from from her pocket and methodically began to wrap Vi's left hand.

"Talk to me." Caitlyn gave an assertive tone, keeping eye contact with Vi.

Vi tried to look away, but Caitlyn reached out, pulling Vi's face to hers. "I've been your partner for seven years, Vi." The sternness in her voice keeping Vi down from the roaring anger squirming under her skin. "Talk to me so I can help you get through this."

Being only inches away from Caitlyn, gave a wave of calm throughout Vi. If she could reach just a little bit closer she could-

Vi shook the thought out of her head.

No this was not the time.

"Is she one of the Gears? The gang you were in?" Caitlyn kept her tone quiet and gentle to not stir the already angry pot. Her thumb gently went over the VI tattoo on her cheek, trying to lull the brawler to a much calmer state. If only she could get to the tip of her toes and place-

Oh gods what was she thinking.

Vi nodded slowly, her breathing returning to something relaxed. Her shoulders sank low, an invisible burden weighing her down. "She was one of the younger kids. The ones that looked up to me." Vi muttered.

Caitlyn gave a thoughtful hum as her thumb went to Vi's jaw trying to relax the muscles there.

"We were pretty close." Vi's words became hushed. Violet caught Ice. "I never wanted to leave 'em, like I did. They didn't understand why I even left 'em in the first place."

Caitlyn nodded, letting her partner open up to her. Vi was the kind of person that hid things from the people she cared about, even if it meant hurting Vi more then the other person. It were moments like these that were rare. Vi was vicious, vindictive, violent.

She was never vulnerable.

Not like she is now, shredding off her armor to Caitlyn, and opening up.

Eyes studied each other, waiting for the other's next move.

Vi took a deep breath.

"Aww fuck it!" She blurted out before, she pulled Caitlyn in closer. She angled her self and placed her lips against Caitlyn's.

Caitlyn's eyes widened in shock.

 _Oh my_ , Caitlyn thought before her eyes fluttered closed and she returned the kiss. Her hands wrapped around _her_ brawlers neck.

It's not like she had been thinking about this for the past few months.

Who was she kidding?

She had been thinking about this since the second day of working with Vi.

Vi broke the kiss, pushing Caitlyn back gently.

She coughed nervously and scratched the back of her neck, letting the blush form on her cheeks. "We should, uh, we should get uh...back to work." Vi turned on her heels placing her hand into the metal fists with ease. She sprinted forward following the boot tracks.

Caitlyn watched incredulously as Vi walked off. She shook her head from her daze her, hand on the hip holster of her pistol.

This was going to be quite the corundum to deal with.

(The next morning)

Deft hands.

Fingers moving in proficient speed. One circuit, two circuits, three circuits.

Lead fumes rose to her nose and goggle covered eyes.

A growl escapes her lips.

Wrong.

The sauldering iron's tip is placed by the metal gobbule melting it instantly. The air pipe sucks the gobbule up easily. She grabs a new wire and another line of lead. The music in her ears pounds angrily as she sways her head to the beat. The wire gets to the right position and with a satisfied smile she turns the motherboard around and places it inside the bug. She screws back on the metallic casing with a few turns of her slim wrists.

A hand claps her shoulder and she jumps about twenty feet off of her stool. She lashes out instinctively, trying to take out her attacker. She rips the earphones from her ears, her chest rises and falls as she looks at her brother who has her fist in a firm hold.

Elric looks exhausted.

His short blonde hair is in spikes around his skull. His usually bright lake blue pools, were half lidded with dark shadows under his eyes. His massive hands gripped the back of his shorts as he pulled them up. His exposed chest was hit by the early morning light flitting from Dakota's open window. His mouth was set in a grumpy line.

He releases her fist without so much of a _Hmph_.

"Why are you still up?" He asks through a thickness of sleep in his voice.

Dakota grins sheepishly. "Couldn't sleep."

He raises an eyebrow.

"No, you got obsessed again." He crosses his arms over his chest, his stance challenging her to argue. "What are you working on?"

Dakota scratches the back of her head looking over to the bug on her workbench. " A tracker." She says quietly. "It senses for heart beats. It looks for human heart rates and it specifies in looking for people buried under rubble."

Elric nods thoughtfully. "And you want to deploy it in Piltover."

Dakota nods slowly.

"We have a meeting with the mayor at o'seven hundred about the information we found. It's o'four thirty Dakota." He strides over to her work bench snapping the lamps light chain. It buzzes off. "If you don't get any sleep you won't be able to pitch this to him. Now get a little bit of shut eye, before I make you."

Dakota mumbles something grumpily about Elric being such a mom, making Elric chuckle darkly.

"I gotta be so that I can keep your weird ass from turning into a lifeless hermit, you door knob." Elric giggles pushing his sister into one of the empty beds. Beside them Abbie rolls over tossing a pillow at Elric's head.

"Would you two shut the hell up for like fifteen minutes," She hisses angrily.

Elric grins through his sleepiness. "Make me."

(As Abbie is shoving her foot up Elric's ass)

The puddle of drool pools on top of the paperwork. Each breath is repeated with a snore. Her face is pressed into her arms that lay crisscrossed on top of her desk. Beside her is a cooling cup of coffee, and a stale strawberry doughnut long forgotten to the doughnut gods. Her boots are resting up beside her desk, with mud and dust all over the area of leather.

On the opposite side of the room is her partner who is bent over reports from her busy overclocked officers. Her hand writing in elegant cursive as she signs each one off.

Caitlyn sighs as she grabs a schedule, filing through the names trying to find the right combination to keep her men fresh. As she scribbles names down next to time shifts, her eyes catch a roster. She cautiously looks to Vi, who is dead to the world. Her lips still buzz from there kiss. She let her thoughts drift to how close she had been getting to the brawler trying in some way to get Vi to realize the feelings she had been having for her.

Caitlyn shook her head.

Piltover needs her to have her mind out of the gutter.

She flashes back to the roster. The insignia of gears and a large golden 'P' rest at the top of the page. She hadn't gotten the chance to look at the names, or the units who will be involved in the aid. She remembers some of these names. Children she had found half dead on the street. Orphans who didn't have anyone to turn to. Orphans who were left out to die.

How long had it been?

How long had it been since Dakota had been home?

Her heart drops as her daughter's name is missing from the roster.

She places the roster down next to the time schedules. She gets up from her desk quietly, trying hard not to disturb the sleeping bear across the room from her.

She is in the squad room. A square like room with off white walls and sea grey carpet. At the far end of the room is a door that opens to a balcony. A large table sits at the middle of the room. She stands in front of the tea kettle, praising the god as it whistles. She lets the boiling water pour into the mug. The tea bag rises with the water. She looks to the watch on her wrist, counting down the minutes. She rips open a drawer, grabbing a spoon, then flings open the refrigerator door. She reaches for the milk. The metal tinks against the side as she removes the tea bag from the mug. She opens the milk bottle letting the white liquid pour into the mug, giving the tea a light brown colour. The spoon drifts a long with each stir of her wrist.

She steps out to the balcony. Her icy eyes taking in the sight of the broken city. The sky is still dark from the debris clouds and smoke. What once stood tall buildings shows buried civilization. She sips from the warm mug, letting the warm liquid lull her into a drift of happiness. Her eyes never leave the horizon as she continues, plans lining inside her head, as she formulates her next actions.

Today was a day to rise. Like the ashes of a phoenix. Piltover will be back to it's former glory.

But first sleep.

(O'seven hundred hours)

The mayor stands in front of the crisp soldiers. Their uniforms and stances in perfection to military conduct. Five pairs of eyes stare at the far wall as the Mayor walks past them. Behind him are two of his closest statesmen.

Peter Deramore's lake coloured eyes inspect each of the soldiers from head to polished boot. Their uniforms each tailored to their body types, giving them a wonderful fit. His eyes went over Elric a smile of pride glowing on his weathered face. He puts his hand out to Elric.

"Sergeant Sampson, the last time I saw you, you were but knee high to a grass hopper."

Elric gives his sunshine smile, and claps the man's hand giving a solid grip and shakes. Statesman Deramore then claps Elric's shoulder. "Your father would be so proud to see the man you have become."

His attention then shifts to Dakota, who stands stock still. "Corporal Sampson." Dakota's icy eyes go to lake blue. There is a sense of disgust that comes off the man, that practically hits Dakota like a ton of bricks. The man then gives an easy smile, masking something in his eyes, making Dakota's stomach do a flip. "You look just like your mother." It almost sounded forced.

Dakota gives a gentle smile. "Thank you, sir." She responds looking to the ground. There was something off about him, and she couldn't put a finger on it.

The man raises his eyebrows and turns on his heels to sit on the right hand side of his mayor. The commander then stands. "At ease fifty first." The call brings the five soldiers to their seats. The mayor begins his speech about his thanks for their service, and about the amazing ability that they had performed.

"You have gathered very valuable information that may help the course of Piltover's future defense." The mayors pipes up, pride laced in his voice. "With this evidence, we can bring Professor Stanwick to justice for what he has unleashed in Piltover. The leagues will surely be swift and furious."

The speech droned on. The mayor going red to the face as he damned the Zaunites to the lower ground. His palms slamming into the table. Elric looked to his sister with an expression that read. "What in the hell is this guy on". Dakota shook her head, unable to answer his silent question. As the Mayor's speech came to an end, he came around and shook the individual hands of the soldiers. Their commander dismissed them with a loud shout and the meeting closed.

Dakota waited for her comrades to leave the room as she came up to the mayor.

"Sir," She began politely holding out the Hextech bug. "I have something that might help with the location of survivors."

The mayor looked curiously at the girl. He gingerly picked up the tiny bug, analyzing every gear, cog and bolt.

"I converted it from an EMP system, sir." She began. "It flies around the area of rubble and tracks low heart rates. Usually survivors who are stuck or unconscious have slower heart rates, because they are conserving their energy. If you bring this out to the field it can help recover faster then most teams."

"How old are you?" The mayor asked. His sea green eyes set in a serious tone.

"I just turned fourteen, sir." She replies, keeping her chin up.

"A fourteen year old hextechnologist. Now I have seen everything." The mayor beams. He turns to his statesmen. "Deramore, your wife, do you think she could look over this before we put it out to the field?"

Statesmen Deramore looked to the bug. He pursed his weathered lips and nodded thoughtfully. "I will bring it to her when we return, Mayor."

"Good. Thank you Corporal Sampson."

Dakota was flabbergasted.

"Sir, I'm the only one who can pilot it. It uses complex command whistles. If you bring me back to Pil-"

The mayor gave out a throaty laugh.

"Listen my dear." He began, clasping the young girl's shoulder. "You are needed here. If we require your assistance, we will call upon your superiors, but for now you are on standby."

Dakota's hope fell.

"Of course, sir." She mumbled quietly.

(That night)

"Her wiring systems are impeccable." Professor Catherine Deramore said behind a large magnifying glass."Her crystal choice is also top tier excellence. She has done better then most of my graduate students, Peter."

Peter nodded thoughtfully from his leather arm chair. In his left hand, he swirled a dram of Bilgewater Dirt Whiskey. "Her instructors informed me that she is self taught."

Catherine squinted at her husband suspiciously. "Impossible."

Peter rose from his seat. He placed his right hand into the pocket of his pants. He stepped toward his massive bay window, watching the far off recovery teams pulling out survivors. The city had already began reconstructing in certain parts of the city.

"All the more reason to destroy it."


	6. Chapter 6: Music Boxes and Old Wounds

**A/N Hello again. Thank you guys for giving those reviews, they have been inspiring me to keep writing. Anyways I hope you enjoy this next chapter. Hopefully by the end of this week, the next one should be up. I got a lot of papers to write so, it's gonna be a bit delayed. Thanks :3**

(3 days later)

The mechanist looked at the wreck of a compound. White concrete was strewn along the desolation zone. The charred ground made way as his steps approached the fallen lab.

His staff stabbed into the charred earth.

Behind him, his followers emerged from the forest. Their appendages or other varying body parts covered in metal. Most of them carried boxes or help lead massive carts of various scientific items.

His large overcoat fluttered in the wind revealing his three metallic arms. One supported itself on his broad shoulders. His hair was slicked back behind a silver mask. The slits of his eyes, a glowing yellow.

"My brethren," He called, pulling his arms wide in welcome. "This is where the glorious evolution will thrive." He jumped to a cart using it to add to his charismatic speech.

"Let's begin our rebirth."

(6 months later)

Snow fell in soft specks, the last breath of winter before spring arrived. She huddled into the borrowed sweater as she sipped at the tea mug in her hand. The city skyline had returned with it's massive skyscrapers, threatening to touch the clouds. Winter had been hard for the rebuild, but Piltover endured and so did she.

Her nose pushed into the collar of the hoodie. It smelled like stale coffee, oil, and the perfume the owner usually put on before work. She hummed happily as strong arms came around her waist.

"Morning cupcake, enjoin' the view." Vi asked placing a gentle peck onto Caitlyn's exposed neck.

Caitlyn chuckled and pulled a sip from her tea mug, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. The balcony of Caitlyn's Penthouse had one of the best views of Piltover. It reached as far as the docks by the sea sector. Massive schooners sailed along the gut, across from the bay, in the far far distance, not very noticeable unless you had binoculars, was Bilgewater. To the north of the penthouse was the tallest of all the buildings in Pilotver, where the police and politicians spent their tireless days at work. City hall was a standing monument to the City of Progress. To the west were the manor houses of the upper city citizens. From here she could spot the Deramore manor. A mansion of incredible size, with the latest security systems made by her mother. To the East of them the shopping district with businesses booming, from the new powerful economy, wafted up scents of the busy morning markets of freshly made breads and cooking breakfasts.

This is what Caitlyn fought for.

This is what made all the hard work worth it.

Her city was her legacy, and she put every drop of blood, sweat and tears for this city to blossom and flourish into it's full potential.

The two women stared off into the city skyline in a blissful silence. Caitlyn dragged the tips of her lithe fingers, over Vi's arms, following the pattern of the cog and gear tattoos. Vi chuckled into her ear at the sensation.

She was glad that this worked out.

It took VI and Caitlyn two weeks after their first kiss to finally talk about it. What with all of the city being in panic they didn't have any personal time. She had never seen Vi so baffled or red, when she finally sat Vi down. Even after she teased Vi over the fact at being 'quite the charmer of the ladies'. It didn't take long for the media to catch onto the rumors, and before she knew it she was talking to her parents. Her father wasn't pleased, but after a furious argument from her mother, he turned around quickly.

When they first met Vi, it took Caitlyn's father a while to get used to Vi's stubborn and street rat ways. Caitlyn's mother absolutely adored Vi. The two had spent many afternoons behind the closed door of the workshop ogling at some new invention of Catherine's. During Snowdown, Vi was an honored guest and experienced her first real snowdown feast, with a family. It had been quite the emotional day for the brawler. During that snowdown, Vi and Caitlyn smoked cigars and drank Bilgewater Dirt Whiskey from fancy crystal glasses with Caitlyn's father. After a long conversation, Peter had turned heart with Vi. He even invited her for the annual hunt that took place the day after snowdown, a Deramore tradition that had been brought down from generation to generation. That day Vi learned that she was better off hitting things then shooting things, but she wouldn't mind hunting with the Deramores again.

"Whatchyou thinkin' about , Cupcake?" Vi asked.

"You." Caitlyn admitted, taking another sip from her mug.

"I see you stole my sweater."Caitlyn could her the beaming smile in Vi's voice, still husky from the bleariness of sleep."That's thievery, sheriff."

Caitlyn nodded, letting a vixenesque smile splay on her lips. "I was cold, and I didn't want to bother you." Vi gave a small laugh. She grabbed Caitlyn's waist, turning the sheriff so that they were facing each other. Their foreheads touched in a moment of elation. Red noses touched and eyes closed, both of them slowly drifting into the tiny peace they found themselves in.

Vi pulled her face back, her violet eyes dancing with joy.

"Let's get some breakfast, I'm starving," Vi pitched, pulling her arms away, making a noise of protest escape from Caitlyn.

Before, Vi could come back with a witty retort that was for sure going to drive Caitlyn insane, the sounds of explosions rocked through the air.

Caitlyn rushed to the balcony's edge watching debris pile out into a plume of smoke.

Vi came up beside her. Her violet eyes locking on to the form that stood at the top of the adjacent building.

The maniac cupped her hands over her mouth. "Hey fathands, stop macking on Hat lady and do your stinkin' job!"

Vi gripped the balcony's railing with white knuckles.

"I'm gonna kick your skinny ass all the way back to Zaun, tiny tits!" Vi bellowed.

"What!" From here Caitlyn could see Jinx cupping her ear in mockery. "Can't hear ya over all the people screaming in panic!"

Vi turned on her heels, and stomped to the balcony doors. "C'mon Cupcake. I gotta lil' bitch to beat down." She growled throwing the french doors open.

"So much for peace and quiet."Caitlyn mumbled as she followed behind Vi.

(A year and a half later)

Winter was definitely here.

The wind whipped at her face, the cold starting to make it sting as it carried particles of snow and ice. Her icy eyes were glued to her target.

She dug her boots into the patch of snow, letting herself have a solid grip to help her launch forward from her hiding spot. The ditch of the training grounds gave her ample cover as she lay prone in the frozen earth. Her target trudged through the heavy layer of snow, trying to look through the blizzard. A small curse was uttered from his chattering lips as he tried to keep himself warm.

With exploding speed, Dakota burst from her hiding spot. But her target was ready. He brought up the wooden shield taking the blow from the wooden axes. Dakota ducked as he swung the wooden short sword for her head. She rolled in the snow getting behind her brother. He was quick to turn using his shield to push his sister back from him. She gathered herself to her feet. Her shoulder length raven locks flying with the winter breeze. A cocksure smile splaying on her thin lips.

"Come on Dakota, you can't take me. Let's get this over with so that we can go inside, and get a hot cup of hot chocolate. It's bloody cold." Elric was a man of warm temperatures. The Mountains of Demacia were definitely out of his natural habitat.

Dakota rolled her icy eyes. "Stop being such a baby, El." She called back, getting into a defensive stance, raising the wooden training axes. "Winter warfare training is important."

"It's torture!" He yelled over the blow of snow. Dakota used this to her advantage, watching as the snow striked his saphire eyes and sun kissed face. She threw one of the axes striking his large chest. He took a few steps back in astonishment. She rushed her brother feigning to strike his face. He got his shield up to protect his upper body, but Dakota ducked taking the back of the axe and catching it on his heel. She pulled up and shouldered her brother so that he fell to the snow. She kicked away his shield and placed her boot onto his chest.

"You were saying?" She asked, raising her eyebrow at her brother. Elric rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah , whatever. Can we go inside now?" He asked impatiently.

Dakota nodded. She extended her gloved hand and Elric took it gratefully. He picked up the training weapons that had been strewn to the ground. They pushed through the snow and entered into their barracks.

Elric dropped his winter gear and threw off his boots. He strode over to Abbie and placed his freezing hands up her back, making her shriek in surprise.

"You bastard," She called as he ducked from one of her punches. He side stepped and then B-lined for the wood stove that was used to keep the baracks warm. He dove under the blankets and mattresses strewn around the stove and reveled in the heat.

"Oh gods, this is great." He wrapped himself in all of the blankets, and pushed himself against Matais who scoffed at Elric. "Oh come on Mat, it's bloody cold. Abbie is cold hearted and you are a warm guy. You've been sitting by this fire all day. Share the heat, brother."

Matais rumbled as he pushed Elric away from him.

Elric gave an over dramatic puppy dog face. "You hurt me," He muttered.

Abbie sauntered over. Her feet padded a long the cold wooden floor boards. She sat herself on top of Elric's back, a wolf like smile painted over her face. She pulled back the blankets and pulled the collar of his shirt back, dropping the handful of snow down Elric's shirt.

The inhuman shriek resonated throughout the barracks, following it were two roaring laughs from Matais and Abbie.

Dakota let out a soft smile. She bent to her feet, pulling the frozen strings out of their loops. She pulled off the heavy training armor. She brushed the snow off of the shoulder pads and hung it on the armor stand by her bed next to her foot locker. She unzipped the standard issue winter jacket. The inside was layered with the finest wool and cotton. The outer layer had the light brown of cured leather, that kept a waterproof seal. She removed the cotton undershirt, and huddled into a warm cotton tunic.

She turned to her workbench, pulling out the stool. She looked at the set of gears begging to be placed. She cracked her knuckles and began the assembly. She slid the pin into one of the brackets, letting skilled hands get the gear in place. She set the rotatory cuff along the music box springs. She sauldered wire to the motherboard. She set the wire to the piece waiting for the electricity to conduct and send it's signals to the pistons. She listened as the music box began to play a snowdown carol. She brought the box over to where her comrades all huddled around the stove. She sat crossed legged next to her brother who rolled himself in the warm fleece of a blanket. Alex had joined them, his hair wet from the shower he had come back from. He had his long freckled legs over his sister's torso, his face pushed into a novel.

Elric grabbed the music box, inspecting the craftsmanship of his sister's deft hands.

"I'm still working on the exterior." She explained as she pointed to an inscription of her brother's name. "Do you like it?" She asked.

Elric looked to his sister with pride. "Of course I like it."

Dakota beamed and caught her brother's contagious mood. "Do you recognize the carol?"

Elric nodded as he watched the gears roll in amazement. "Mom's favorite one, Tolken Heart."

"Remember that snowdown when she got you to sing it in front of the statesmen that visited for dinner." Dakota giggled as she recalled a grumpy, eleven year old Elric belting out the tune in his finest suit. His mother had combed back his blonde hair so that it was at a neat and tidy sweep, making sure that it was out of his beautiful eyes. She remembered him begging his mother, pleading for his pride. She remembered her mother's frown "Elric, your voice makes me proud. Do this for me, my darling. It will be the best snowdown present anyone could give me."

Abbie plucked the music box from Elric, inspecting it. "Jeeze, you're getting too good at this shit, Dakota." Her chocolate coloured eyes gazed awestruck at the handywork. Alex peered over his book, giving an nod of acknowledgement, then returned to the compelling novel. Matais swiped the music box from Abbie, and beamed at Dakota. "I told you that he would like it."

Elric pulled his sister into his chest. He placed a small kiss at the top of her head, nuzzling his nose into the raven black abyss.

"Happy Snowdown, El." Dakota muttered into his knit shirt.

"Happy Snowdown , kid."

(That Night)

Zaun was never the land of beauty. Smog covered the ceiling of the city, clouding it in a disgusting green. The slim girl spat at the cobbled street, her hands buried into her black leather jacket. The black beanie she wore pushed her shoulder lengthed lavender hair away from her face, keeping her ears warm from the winter breeze. At her back, her black rune blade hung sheathed against her small shoulders. She pulled the grey scarf up to her full lips. Her emerald eyes peered up the building. She nodded her head as she stalked to the entrance. With a roar, she kicked the wooden door open with her combat boots.

"What in the voi-" She cut off the guard by shoving his face into the wall.

"I'm here on behalf of my father." The girl snarled. "Bring me to Viktor."

The guard sneered. "Your father couldn't be here himself."

The girl scoffed and threw the small man to his pine table. Playing cards fluttered, to the dirty ground.

"My father is placed at the war front, keeping the Demacians and Ioninas at bay, while your," She pulled her fingers to air like quotation marks," 'Glorious creator' works on my fallen comrades and plans for a pointless war." She grabbed the man's collar dragging him up by his feet. "Now I understand Viktor has a progress report that my father needs to see. I'm here in his stead."

"He's in a meeting." The man spat.

The girl sighed heavily. She dragged the man toward the heavy oak door and threw him into it, busting the door to smithereens.

Two men stood up from the room she had just rudely barged through.

The girl nodded to the mechanist. "Viktor."

Viktor gave a nonchalant nod . "Was there any reason to destroy my hand crafted door?" He asked, his robotic voice ringing a creepy feeling through her body.

She shivered involuntarily.

The other man looked at the girl incredulously. "What pray tell, do you think you are doing?"

The girl rumbled angrily. "My father sent me. He apologizes for his absence, but his men needed him. I am here in his stead."

The other man huffed, his jowls slapping his skin. He grabbed his bowlers hat with his meaty hands. "I believe we will have to conclude this later, Professor." The man fulminated, raking his beady rat like eyes angrily to the girl, who rolled her eyes. She was clearly uninterested in the man, seeing him as a weak threat. She picked at her nails as the man stepped over the large whole in the door and exited the building.

"He was an important asset to the plan." Viktor commented unemotionally.

The girl raised an eyebrow to the machine herald.

"I'm on a tight schedule. Politicians can wait." She muttered.

Viktor sighed gripping one of the chairs in his metal hand. His finger joints rolled easily for gears and steam.

"Very well," The machine herald turned his back to the girl and took long strides to another door. He turned the door knob with a twist of his wrists. "Follow me."

She dug her hands into her pockets and followed the machine herald down the flight of stairs.

The lab bubbled with chemicals and Bunsen burners. Scientists and chemists bustled around the lab, fumbling with equipment and parchments. He led them to an area where a pale young man that was strapped to a surgical table. Tubes entered and exited around his body, pumping in black a black liquid. Stitches lined the sweat drenched torso. The young man's arms were replaced with metal and cogs.

The girl's jaw tensed. Her heart split in half as she looked to her former lover. A boy she had spent her entire childhood with. She closed her eyes at the memory of his to her Noxian ways, she swallowed down the pain, and turned the heart break into an emotionless stare. She placed her hands behind her back.

"Sergeant Ritcher, looks like he has seen better days." She turned her emerald eyes to Viktor.

A small robotic chuckle reverberated from his throat. He moved to the side of the fallen soldier. "Your father told me you were quite close to this one."

The girl scoffed.

"Nothing more then something to keep the bed warm during the winters," She muttered crossing her arms over her chest.

If Viktor had a mouth he would've given a devilish sneer.

"This one progresses faster then the other subjects. I had made quite the exquisite discovery in Piltover a few years ago." He mentioned. He lifted his arm turning his hand into a fist. "That blasted Defender of tomorrow got in my way and set me back, but I believe I have recreated what was destroyed." He bent over to a shard of crystal, lifting the piece to the dim spotlight, letting the light bounce of the grimy walls of the underground lab. "Arcane magic dwells, within them. I have harnessed it to create a stronger life force for these souls who have been lost to battle. He splintered the shard into tiny pieces. He ripped open one of the tubes attached to the sergeant's chest. He shoved the pieces into the black substance and reattached the tube with an angry hiss.

It took seconds, for the soldier's body to react. The girl's eyes widened as the young man thrashed, a roar of anger and power ripping from his vocal chords. He ripped through the restraints, breaking the buckles with ease. He stepped from the metal table. His once amber eyes, had turned into black pools. His chest heaved with unnecessary air. She watched as the black sludge spread under his pale skin. He looked to the machine herald, prepared for a fight.

"Now now, Sergeant Ritcher." Viktor warned raising his arms. " You have been awoken from death. You may feel a bit of disorientation. Keep yourself calm. You have a visitor."

The young Sergeant's head turned sickeningly toward the girl.

She swallowed the bile that rose to her mouth in disgust.

Ritcher crooked his head sideways as he looked at the familiar face.

"Illya?" His voice was no longer his. It was nothing like him.

The girl kept herself steady as she drew her sword, with lightning quick reflexes. With a strong swipe the young sergeant's head fell to the stone floor.

She re-sheathed her sword and looked to the machine herald.

"Good work, Professor. I will ensure my father, reaches the news of your success."

Viktor was speechless. Did she really just kill his first success?

"Next time, tell Jericho Swain to be here, not some immature and barbaric daughter of his." He growled. His annoyance clear as day as he inspected the wasted potential.

Illya Swain chuckled darkly.

"Choose your words more carefully, Professor. I just started to respect you." She turned her back to the machine herald as she climbed the stone steps.

"Oh and professor," She began. "Happy Snowdown."

Viktor's cold laugh could be heard as she exited the building, and into the snow and smog covered streets of Zaun.


	7. Chapter 7: Discussions and Homecomings

_**a/n-**_ **Hey guys good to see you all again :D Hope you enjoy this chapter. I am going to try to make a habit of posting a new chapter every** **Sunday. You'll have to excuse this one for being late though. College papers needed to be written. Every creative writer's WORST NIGHTMARE RIGHT! Anyways, thanks to all of you guys who reviewed, it's super cool to see that people actually like it C: ENJOY BBS**

(6 months later)

They had been arguing continuously for three hours straight. Fists would be slammed down in anger and protest from one statement, while voices would be raised from another. Heads butted, egos were flattened, and old wounds were split open.

She sighed in contempt.

This is why she hated politicians.

"Bloody Hell." She hissed as the politician roared, angering the headache forming at the front of her skull.

Her father looked sideways at her with half cut eyes. She glared back, making his lake like pools, roll as he refocused on the debate, between the opinionated men and women of the state house.

"It's becoming a problem!" A young politican seethed. "Those low life scum bags will make their move and when they do Piltover will pay for it gravely. They sent one terrorist that completely leveled the city, what will thousands of terrorists do?"

The voices of 'hear hear' resonate amongst the crowd following short grunts of disapproval.

The young politician shakes his head.

"It's only a matter of time, before we get annihalated. Our only protection is a day's march and a four hour train ride away. The Zaunites, have been extremely pushy after they elected that Machine Herald at the end of last month. Who knows what they have planned?!"

The statehouse turned into an uproar of approval and disapproval.

"We can't sever any ally ties with them. We may be rivals , but we aren't enemies." Someone argued. Caitlyn pinched the bridge of her nose. This was getting pointless.

"I'm not saying to sever ties, sir. I'm saying we need to get our protection closer. We have no idea what they are up to, but I have a feeling in my gut that tells me we should be prepared."

"They will see troop movement and think it's an act of war!"

"It's better to be safe then sorry!"

The politicians exploded into a more cacophonous sound.

A gavel beat down angrily on the palm.

The mayor's weathered face was at an exasperated state. His soft brown eyes, hardened with frustration.

"That is enough!" He roared.

The state house went silent immediately. Every standing person slowly sat back down as the mayor stared each of the angry politicians down with hardened eyes. Caitlyn smirked. She had always liked the mayor. He was crazy at times, but when Piltover needed a leader he was certainly the right fit. He was what the people needed. Someone who knew how to stomp their foot down when things got too complicated. He knew when to make the right sacrifices and the right saves.

"We have always been a potential target for the Zaunites." He began stepping away from his podium and into the seating area of the statesmen. He clapped the shoulder of the young politician, who looked up at the mayor with keen eyes. "But Mr. Tighe, is right. We can't always trust them. I to, do not have a good feeling about that crazed professor they elected. Piltover company has many bright and strong individuals, that are willing to defend home soil. I say we begin making barracks where the old Founder's Square used to be. All those who agree raise your hand and say aye."

A chorus of 'ayes' followed by arms raised to the sky, went through the group of politician's. Only a small sample of politician's stayed unmoving.

"Majority rules. It's settled." The mayor turns his eyes to his secretary who is seated next to the podium the mayor had been standing at. " , please write a letter to the Demacian officials, and to the head commanders of Piltover Company. Our soldiers are coming home. This counsel is now concluded. Our next meeting will begin tomorrow, to discuss further about the situation we find ourselves in. Enjoy this lovely spring day, ladies and gentlemen." With a final pound of the gavel, the mayor moved to a door at the back of the stage and left. The statesmen rose from their seats, and exited the statehouse without so much of an argument.

Caitlyn sat frozen. Her father nudged her, trying to bring her out of her hypnosis.

After nine years.

Dakota was coming home.

Caitlyn's icy eyes began to prickle with tears.

"Caitlyn?" Her father asked, worry lining his voice.

Caitlyn quickly snapped out of it and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. She placed a small smile onto her lips as she stood up.

"Apologies, Father."She began as she went to her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. "I need to discuss something with the Mayor. He asked me to be here today so that I could console him on a matter. I'll meet you for dinner at The Albany."

He nodded. "Of course, love. I'll see you in a while." His words sounded cautious. Caitlyn squinted at her father. "I'll be off. Your mother had requested me to visit her at her office. Something about a new invention that needs the hands of an intelligent man." He gave a wry smile that made Caitlyn snort.

"Send her my love." She said in between a giggle.

Her father nodded.

She went down the aisle toward the stage door. She turned the knob and entered into a hallway. A body guard greeted the sheriff with a courteous nod and he led the woman down the long way. The hallway had forest green walls, with the portraits of past mayors lined with gold trim. Her heeled boots clicked along the marble floor. Each step sent an echo along the walls. The guard froze at a massive mahogany door. The emblem of Piltover was pressed into the door with elite craftsmanship. With a gentle knock from the guard, a soft reply welcomed the intruders. Caitlyn thanked the guard and pushed through the heavy door.

"Ah, sheriff." The mayor was at a counter pouring himself a drink. "May I offer you some Brandy? It's a gift from the Demacian king. Great fellow he is."

Caitlyn smiled. "Thank you for the offer sir, but I must decline. I have a long awaited paperwork session waiting for me as soon as I return to my office."

The mayor chuckled, as he sat himself onto a black velvet arm chair. Caitlyn shuffled over to a similar arm chair across from the Mayor.

"I'm glad today has worked out. I've been trying to get Piltover company back in Piltover for over a year now. I'm glad that my statesmen have good heads on their shoulders." He took a swig of his brandy, his eyes staring at the amber liquid in the glass. " I have summoned you here for a reason, Sheriff."

Caitlyn crossed her legs and placed her hands on her thighs. Her swan like neck held her head high as she locked eyes with the Mayor.

"I will be giving you command of the fifty first. I need them to retain some reconnaissance, and I believe that you are the only one capable enough as well as trustworthy enough to deduce confidential missions to these hard working soldiers. You have showed extreme dedication to this city, Sheriff and this city is in great debt for your services. Use these soldiers to the best of their abilities. I will be providing you further instructions for their first mission, when they arrive back in Piltover."

Caitlyn was taken aback.

"This is an honour, sir, but I'm not sure I am qualified for this."

"Of course you are. You lead brave men and women into a battle on the streets. Your detective skills can help piece together what the Zaunites are planning using the information that those soldiers gather. You are the perfect person for this job, Sheriff." He took a nonchalant swig of his brandy.

"Anyways, the main reason you are here is so I can get your opinion. What are your thoughts on the new ZX456 Hextech rifle? I'm looking for a new hunting weapon, but I can't quite find the right choice for me."

( 2 weeks later)

The Demacians had actually okayed everything.

It surprised her.

They let them celebrate here.

Bonfires littered the training grounds. The sounds of pounding drums, let out crazed dance rhythms that coaxed bodies to go along with the beat. Most of them danced, while the rest formed a human circle. Gold coins passed hands, and alcohol exchanged lips throughout the group. Cheers and cries of anger echoed into her ears. She was drenched in sweat. Her raven black hair was plastered to the back of her neck. Blood trickled out of her split lip. Her bare abdomen, bruised and glistening in a sheen of sweat. Her military dress shirt was tied around her her hips. Her black sports bra was the only thing on her torso, that and the golden ring looped onto the chain that slapped against her chest.

Across from her was Alex. His long arms were raised to his face, with clenched fists covering his bruised cheek and jaw. The bon fires reflected in his mud coloured eyes, giving him a sinister look. His lips twisted into a cocky smile as he called out to Dakota.

"C'mon, make this easier on yourself, Sampson." He spat onto the sand covered ground. His bare feet dug into the loose earth. "Surrender, so I can take your cash."

Dakota gave an equally cocky grin.

"The only way your getting my money, Preston, is when I pay for your hospital bills back home."

The human ring gave a ruckus of laughter.

The fire in Alex's eyes grew in size. His fiery hair, making him look like the embodiment of the flames that danced around them in barrels around the group. His long and lean torso contracted as he took a couple of angry steps toward Dakota, getting into her instep. She blocked his first punch, but was too slow for the next one as it connected to her jaw. He grabbed her shoulder and used his hips to throw her toward the ring.

Dakota flew into the awaiting arms of the human ring. She quickly regained herself, and sidestepped Alex as he tried to tackle her. The human ring caught him and pushed him back into the center of the ring. Dakota grunted and launched herself forward as she tackled Alex to the sand as he tried to regain his balance from the push. With a growl the two rolled over top each other as they tried to gain the dominant position. Alex swung his fist but Dakota moved her head back enough for it to miss. She grabbed his over extended arm and wrapped her legs around his upper arm and shoulder. She used his momentum to pin him into the sand. She pushed her hips up so that his arm was locked into an arm bar.

"Tap out!" Dakota yelled over the pounding drums of the dance music.

"No!" Alex growled as he tried to break the bar.

Dakota snarled and pushed her hips up more so that it began to strain his arm.

"Come on, Preston. I am not breaking your arm over a few gold coins. Tap out so I can get us drinks." She called out.

Alex gave out a sigh of finality.

"Fine!" He slapped her left leg with his open palm.

The crowd gave out a cheer and some groaned. Coins passed through awaiting hands. Dakota released Alex's arm and she sat herself up, sand falling from her shoulders and back. He quickly rolled to his side and wrapped his arm around Dakota's neck. He pulled her head to his stomach and rubbed his knuckles onto her scalp.

" _HNNG_! Alex stop!" Dakota protested, putting her hands onto his stomach as she pushed off of him. A massive shit eating grin spread through his lips as he released Dakota. The two sat in the sand for a while watching the human ring disperse and commingle into smaller groups. The pounding of the drums whispered to Dakota, begging her to dance to the beat. She rose from her seat. She extended a hand to Alex, who declined it.

"I'm gonna go meander about. I think there's a nice blonde from the ninth, that needs some ginger love." He wiggled his orange eyebrows and rolled to his feet. "Catch you on the flip side, loser."

Dakota scoffed and turned on her heels.

She had found herself infront of the makeshift bar. She slapped the newly awarded coins onto the wooden slat. "I'll take a craggy ice please." The bartender nodded, and ripped the cap off of a bottle and passed the ale to the fifteen year old. The hot summer night and the raging bonfires made the cold drink ever so satisfying. She pushed her way through dancing bodies as she approached closer to the stage. Hands trailed a long her skin as she pushed through to the very center of the dancing mass. She began to lose herself in the beat. Her eyes closed as her hips swayed. Every now and again she would take sips from the bottle enjoying the taste of the Freljordian ale and blood from her split lip.

A pair of hands found there way to her waist. She looked up to the owner. He was a tall boy, with chestnut brown wavy hair. He had high cheeks bones that had blue lines painted on his face, like the other party goers. His ember eyes illuminated from the bonfires and flashing lights of the rave around them. He looked so intent on her, and her movements. Dakota raised a slim eyebrow to the boy, finished the ale and placed the bottle in the sand. She wrapped her arms around his neck bringing the boy closer. A devilish smile plastered on her lips.

The boy leaned his face closer to Dakota's. His thumbs doing intricate circles along her hips and flat stomach muscles, making the hairs on her arms and neck stand on end. She tipped her chin toward him. She was barely a hair width away from his lips when someone grabbed the scruff of her neck. The boy grunted as a fist came into contact of his nose making a sickening crunch.

"Fuck off, sluzz ball !" Abbie spat."You ever touch her again, I'll fucking end you! Now get out of here before I rip your intestines out of your ass." She cracked her knuckles and the boy broke off into a sprint pushing past people.

Elric's hold was iron tight on her scruff making Dakota yelp. He dragged her out of the dancing bodies and back to their barracks.

"What the hell were thinking?" He barked, worry and anger lining his irises. He slammed the door angrily and strode over to was shaking uncontrollably. He gripped her wrists with iron strength.

"Calm down!" She yelled, ripping away from her brother's grasp. "I was only having fun!"

"With Lucas Perril?" Elric got right into her face. "Do you not remember what he did to the girls in his unit?"

Dakota's jaw dropped. "I had no idea it was him, Elric." Her voice going softer as she understood the situation. She wrapped her arms around his neck and embraced her brother. " You probably just saved me."

Elric sighed and gently rubbed circles onto her back. "I would have skinned him right then and there but Abbie said she would handle it. He shouldn't have been here. They kicked him out of the force. Those girls didn't deserve the torture of seeing his ugly mug around here. I'm just glad Abbie spotted you."

Dakota closed her eyes and nuzzled into her brother's shoulder. She caught a scent and froze. A shit eating grin spread through her lips. She pulled back and looked up to her brother with a raised eyebrow.

"Why do you smell like Abbie?" She asked a hint of a laugh gaining on her voice.

Elric's sapphire eyes widened. A blush formed on his sun kissed cheeks.

"Uhhhhhh..."

"You sly..." Dakota broke into a fit of laughter, unable to finish her sentence. She held her bruised abdomen. "Oh my god! How long?"

Elric rolled his eyes and scratched the back of his blonde head.

"Since Heartseeker Day." He admitted with a mutter.

Dakota burst out into an even greater fit of laughter.

"Yeah yeah, it's funny. Hurry up and get it out of your system."

Dakota wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "Aw, El, don't be like that."She began. "I'm genuinely happy for you guys."

Elric nodded. "Everything is finally getting into place, Dakota." He whispered. "We're finally going home. All of the people we had met as children are now adults. They probably don't even remember us."

Dakota chuckled.

"Maybe that's a good thing." She sat on top of one of the unclaimed beds. "It's too surreal. One more sleep and tomorrow we march off."

"Alright let's get back to the party." Elric chuckled. "We're getting too sentimental. Let's go have a drink to this place. I'm glad we are leaving the mold and vines behind."

"Hear, hear." Dakota agreed as she clapped her brother's back. "To this shit pile!"

Their laughter echoed from the empty barrack hall. It would be the last time the mold and vines would ever hear their laughter again.

(Early the next morning)

She was excited.

She bounced from one foot to the other as she waited at the train station. Vi had never seen her this energetic, well there was that one time when they...

Vi shook her head a grin spreading on her lips. That was quite the night. Caitlyn was so antsy. She took forever this morning picking out the right outfit, and making sure everything about her appearance was perfect. It took a lot of coaxing from Vi, to get Caitlyn out of the damned bathroom so she could pee.

Caitlyn pulled out the pocket watch from her purple canvas jacket. She replaced it and pushed her black bangs behind her ears. Her long legs were covered in a pair of black skinny jeans and her feet were in her iconic heeled boots. The rain pounded against the glass ceiling of the train station. A usual Piltovian weather forecast. Rain, rain and more rain.

Suddenly the sound of train breaks screeched through the station making Caitlyn freeze. Vi gave out a short giggle. "Easy, cupcake."

"You don't understand , Vi." Caitlyn never left her eyes from the departures gate. "These soldiers are very close to my family. I haven't seen them since the day they got shipped off. I was there the night their parents died."

Vi nodded. "I know , cupcake." She reached for Caitlyn's hands and intertwined there fingers. Vi could practically see the nerves slide off of Cait as she made contact with Vi.

A flow of soldiers pushed through the gates. All of them were holding rather large footlockers and canvas rucksacks on their shoulders. Caitlyn recognized a few faces, from children she had saved from the street. She wondered if any of them knew Dakota.

All of the soldiers wore their uniforms. Grey button ups with their rank bars and last name on their chests as well as the emblem of Piltover company on their right shoulders. Their black cargo pants were properly pressed and their black combat boots were all shined and polished.

"Caitlyn?" It was a low voice with the hint of a high Piltovian accent mixed with a Demacian accent. Caitlyn snapped her head to a very handsome soldier. He was tall, around six feet and two inches tall. His blonde hair was cut short to military specifications. He had a slight afternoon shadow along his square jaw. His sapphire eyes crinkled in joy as he caught sight of the sheriff. He looked just like his father.

"Oh my gods, Elric." Caitlyn marveled.

Elric dropped his rucksack and footlocker by his comrades and scooped Caitlyn up in a powerful embrace. His shoulders were massive and strong. His wide chest helped support Caitlyn as he spun them in a circle.

He placed Caitlyn down carefully.

"Look at you." Caitlyn commented, her thin lips wide in a marvelous smile. "You've grown up to be so handsome, Elric."

"Well," Elric wiggled his eyes. "Handsome comes as handsome goes." Caitlyn watched as three other figures moved to Elric. A red head woman came up and slapped the back of Elric's head.

The red head smiled widely at the sheriff. "He can be quite the vain bugger sometimes." She commented cutting her chocolate brown eyes to Elric. She turned her attention back to the sheriff. She produced a large calloused hand to Caitlyn. "Captain Abbigail Preston. It's a pleasure to finally meet you. Elric hasn't kept quiet about you through the entire train ride."

Caitlyn gave a small laugh and took Abigail's hand in hers.

"Behind me is my brother Alexander and our comrade Matais. I hear we will be getting our commands and orders from you."

Caitlyn nodded. "That is correct. While the other units will be housed at Founder's barracks, your unit will be housed at the station on the same floor as my office."

Behind Abbigail, a tall red head, most likely Alexander, gave a wry grin. "Nice."

"You will have to excuse, Dakota." Elric added. "She went to go sign off on some of our gear that needed special transportation."

Caitlyn hid the disappointment that curled in her gut as she quickly looked to her feet.

"Don't to cut me out too short, El."

Caitlyn snapped her head to the beautiful teenager infront of her. Caitlyn gasped. It was look she was looking in a mirror. Dakota had a slender and angular jawline. Her cheek bones were held high. Her thin lips were teased in a side smile. Just like most of the Deramores, Dakota's icy eyes held the keys to curiosity. Her Raven Black hair was held up in a lose ponytail. Her bangs were swept to the side, away from her beautiful eyes. She was taller then Caitlyn by atleast a few inches. She had broader shoulders and longer arms as well. Her chest held the long black straps of her rucksack. Her Uniform sleeves were rolled up to her elbows showing off her pale skin, showing small scars from previous battles. Her hands were the same lithe quality as Caitlyn's. She had a long torso. Her abdomen, even through the fabric of the uniform shirt, looked strong with tense muscles. She had long legs to hold her long body. She looked like she could use her wide gait to run fast.

Caitlyn stepped to Dakota and wrapped her arms around Dakota's slender neck. She buried her nose into Dakota's shoulder smelling scents of mint and wood fire. She felt Dakota's long arms wrap around her waist.

Caitlyn held back the tears that rushed to her eyes. She sniffed.

" You two have grow up too fast for my liking."

Dakota gave a wry smile, her slender eyebrows raised with the grin. Elric placed his arm around Dakota's neck. "She's still a little shit. You should the Hextech she makes. Holy crap, it's incredible."

"Hextech." Vi cut in. "Oh kid, we're probably gonna be the best of friends." Dakota looked to the taller woman with the pink locks.

"The piltover enforcer. I've heard quite a bit about your gauntlets. You'll have to show me how they work." Dakota suggested. Caitlyn marveled at how her Piltovian accent hadn't been entirely lost. It was mostly heard with her vowels and how she acutely said her consonants.

Vi gave a wolfish grin. "Anytime I get to show off my babies. But first let's get you guys settled. We brought the SWAT van. Hope you like the smell of puke. The last guy we detained hurled all over the place. Still can't get the bloody stench out though."

Caitlyn slapped her palm against her face.

By the gods.


	8. Chapter 8: Remembering and Friendships

**A/N: Hello again :3 I have returned as promised, bringing you more of the Sheriff and the Soldier. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. I loved all the reviews and would love to get more ^_^ hopefully you guys are liking the way the story is going. I have quite the upcoming storyline that will involve some feels. Ok ok enough about me let's get to the goods. Enjoy BBs.**

The city had changed so much.

When she was younger the city had just brought itself out of a terrible recession. It had dilapidated buildings and gangs running around the streets like packs of wild dogs. She heard tales of the harrowing vigilante, a young girl, going from roof top to roof top, equipped with a rifle and a top hat, taking on the gangs, like it was going out of fashion. Her mother would sit her on her skinny thighs and they would read the stories of how Piltover was saved time and time again from the sleuths and thieves. A hero to many and a villain to those who crossed her. Soon the government, knowing the streets were becoming safe, began it's massive rebuild of mammoth sized skyscrapers, lining the sky line of Piltover.

 _It must have hurt Caitlyn so much, when her city burned to Jinx_ , Dakota thought as she kept her curious eyes out the van window.

She watched as hundreds of soldiers marched shoulder to shoulder up the cobbled streets, toward the massive tower standing beside the city hall. Rain pattered the parade, but that didn't stop the crowds. People had come out from shops, watching the unknown faces of Piltover, marching in unison like well oiled machines. The crowds applauded and cheered. Flocks of civilians ran up to soldiers embracing them and showering them with gifts. One soldier looked awestruck as an old man passed a bottle of some expensive liqueur. Flags flew proudly along the balconies, whipping the purple and gold material.

Alex and Abbie had been touching heads, their noses pressed to glass, as Abbie pointed out familiar alleyways. Sometimes they would burst into laughter as a memory evoked itself from the times they thrived on the streets. Matais kept to himself as he quietly kept his eyes forward, starring emptily out of the windshield, watching rain drops being swiped by windshield wipers. Elric placed his head on top of his knuckles letting his sapphire eyes observe the city with glowing eyes. He had missed home so much.

They pulled up to the garage of the city hall. Vi had rolled the window down and gave a toothy grin to the guard manning the doors. He tipped his hat and opened the massive thick metal door, revealing an underground parking lot. The van found a perfect spot, pulling beside a metal staircase that led to a thick metal door. She slid out of the van, grabbing her equipment and closed the door softly. It had been a while since she had been in a hexmobile. She shivered involuntarily as the memory of headlights flashed in her mind's eyes. She shook her head, breathing the fast approaching anxiety away. She looked to her brother, who read the silent plea of help. He brushed his calloused fingers against her bare forearm calming Dakota. He kept pace with her as they followed the sheriff and her pink haired deputy up the small set of stairs and through the thick door. They took the elevators going to the top floors. Abbie and Alex marveled at the view from the glass tube as they went to the upper floors, to the offices of Piltover's law enforcement.

The view was truly magnificent. Clouds covered the skies creating a downcast on Piltover. The massive city spires threatened to break the dark clouds. The view of founder's park below, gave the sense of beauty and serenity as massive pine trees and Demacian furs lined the grassy commons. Some civilians looked to be enjoying a game of vrake ball, a favorite pass time of the city of Progress. Dakota turned to the pink haired deputy who had her arms crossed over her chest and a massive grin on her face as she watched Alex and Abbie pointing and gasping at the sights.

"Wait till the fog pisses off." Caitlyn poked an elbow at Vi's side who paid no mind to the annoyed sheriff. " Then you can see Gulch bay. It may look like a gross harbor up front but from here it bloody shines." Vi was right. The fog banks were too thick to see the lower end of Piltover, or the massive quarries that were at the outskirts.

A small ding caught the attention of the passengers. They exited the elevator and passed by a lobby desk. Criminals were handcuffed to benches with officers standing beside them. All of the eyes in the room turned to the uniformed soldiers, as they passed through to the back offices, where cubicles were housing hard working detectives and officers filing reports. Some turned their heads as their boots clacked against the marble floor. They passed by interrogation rooms and the heavily guarded door to the holding cells.

Caitlyn lead them to a door that led into a hallway where office rooms took control of the floor. She took a left into a hallway where there were seven dark colored oak doors. She pointed to the door at the very end of the hallway.

"That is our office, where the Enforcer and I do most of our paperwork and other papered duties." She pointed to the door to the right of her office. This is where your meal hall and common room will be. You will be having meals that will be delivered to you from the barrack mess hall at Eight AM, One PM and six PM. There are cupboards that have some snacking sustenance for those who are inpatient, but be warned, you are all responsible to refill the shelves." She graced her lithe hands to the other doors. "We have converted these five unused office spaces into personal rooms. There is a desk, as well as a bookshelf, closet, a dresser, a twin bed and a personal bathroom."

"Padron me, Sheriff." Abbie interrupts looking to her unit with widened eyes. "Yer telling me that we get our own rooms?"

Caitlyn blinked.

Had they all shared a room before they got here?

"Yes." She places a lithe hand on a knob and turns it with her thin wrist. Letting the soldiers gaze at the room. The bedroom was spacious enough to hold at least two people comfortably. "The board, the Mayor and I, thought it deemed appropriate for our elite to have proper accommodations." A small smile plays through her lips.

The five soldiers look at the officers incredulously. Alex looked astounded as his eyes observed the clean space. A large smile spreads through his freckled cheeks. "AWWW YEAH!" He screams as he flings himself in the interior of the room. "Guys! Guys, we have our own showers! Oh Gods yes!"

Abbigail is quick to follow as she launches herself to the room across from Alex's newly claimed one. She practically kicks down the door and presses her self into the soft sheets of the bed.

Elric pushes Matais out of the way as he attacks the room next to Abbie's. With a growl and a roll of his eyes, Matais gathers his balance and grabs the room next to Alex.

Dakota just stands in front of the two officers, pinching the bridge of her nose. She sighs heavily as she brings her eyes up to Caitlyn. She gives an apologetic smile.

"Go on then," Caitlyn encourages, her smile sweet and genuine.

Dakota looks at her suspiciously for a moment, before she turns her head to the unclaimed room on the left hand side of Caitlyn's office door. Her icy eyes turn back to the two officers.

"Thank you." Dakota says politely as she carefully pushes past Caitlyn and opens the door to another new part of her life.

Vi puts a steadying hand on Caitlyn's shoulder, as she watches Dakota enter into the room.

"I hope they get comfortable." She whispers, turning her gaze hopefully to Vi, who snickers.

"I don't think some of them had a room to themselves in their lives. If they are half as good as the Demacians claimed they were, they'll adapt quickly." Vi quirks thoughtfully.

"Dude!" They hear Alex croon. "The sheets are Shuriman cotton!"

(That Night)

She grins wolfishly as the men are shut down by his booming voice. They can sense his strength, his power, his ability to be a leader. He grabs one of the generals by the lapels, bringing the large man closer to his face. Beatrice pecks at the general's cheek with her gnarled beak.

The man doesn't dare to break eye contact with the grand general.

"You will march them onto the front, do I make myself clear?" He snarls, making the general nod his head slowly.

She snickers at the general's weakness. Men like him didn't deserve to rally the brilliant hordes of Noxus's powerful soldiers.

His head snaps to the teenage girl, who has her wry arms held behind her head. She is laid back on the edge of the massive stain glass window. While they were arguing she had scaled her way from the rafters to the massive oval shaped window that peered off the capital city. Her short sword is in it's scabbard hanging of her dirty combat boot. Her emerald eyes connect with her father's.

He's pissed and she loves exploiting that.

"What do you think you are doing?" He demands, his voice even. His eyes hold the fire of anger in his grass green irises. He grips his cane with white knuckles. His raven extends her wings and flies to the teenager with easy agility. The teenager smirks as she extends her arm to give Beatrice a perch. The raven nuzzles her beak to Illya's neck.

"I'm studying." She sighs nonchalantly as she strokes the bird's feathers. "I must get first hand experience of the political system. I see general Diedirich, is getting more exposure than I, though." She admits jokingly.

Beatrice calls softly to swain, her four beady eyes blinking as she cocks her head from side to side.

Swain turns to the men of high command.

"Apologies, gentlemen." He bows his head. "I have a matter to attend to. We will conclude this meeting later tonight." The men of the council rise without question and depart through the massive hand carved stone doors of high command. He snaps his head back to his daughter.

"Get down this instant." He snarls ominously.

She grins wickedly.

Beatrice flies off in irritation as her perch moves to stand and leap to the rafters. She goes to a massive wooden post and shimmies down so that she stands in front of her father.

She passes a scrap of parchment to her father, who rips it from her hands. His eyes scan the words and he sneers. He turns his attention to Illya.

"Viktor is ready for the next phase." He rolls the parchment and coos to Beatrice who flies to him. He whispers to the bird and ties the parchment to her leg. She flies off to some destination.

For speed that shouldn't belong to a crippled man, he pins his daughter to the wall with his cane.

"You will go to Zaun tonight." He orders, his voice laced with venom and promises to torture if it's not kept.

Illya chuckles darkly. "Of course, sir." She brings her hand in a mock salute.

She feels the sting before she hears the slap.

"You will watch your mouth you cocky brat." He snarls.

Illya's emerald eyes turn darker as she glares at her father.

"He needs a new test subject. Do as he says." He presses the cane against her neck.

She doesn't break eye contact.

"You are my heir, and I expect you to do whatever it takes to be stronger for Noxus. Do you understand?" He asks getting into his daughter's face.

Illya nods, a cocky smile splaying on her lips.

"Of course, father." She responds dryly. "I will begin to pack."

She tries to leave but he pushes her back against the stone and mortar.

"Learn some respect, Illya. You may think you have the upper hand at times, but even then you can easily be crushed."

She rolls her eyes. She hated his strategical mumbo jumbo.

"I'll be a good little soldier, father."

He shakes his head in disapproval.

"Get out of my sight." He sounds bitter as he removes his cane and begins his trek to the podium where he holds his Intel and reports gathered from his generals.

"You might want to get a handle on Diedirich. A little bird told me that he plans on starting a coup by sundown next Tuesday." She quips before she turns on her heels. She digs her pale hands into her pockets and she leaves the council hall.

A grin spreads on his crooked lips.

Some days, Illya could be a good heir to the power of Noxus.

But, on other days...

She was better off dead.

(1 week later)

Her bare feet slap against the wooden panels of the indoor running track. She counts as she takes long gliding strides.

One two three, inhale.

One two three, exhale.

She follows the repetition, keeping her icy eyes locked on the path ahead of her.

She can't sleep.

She's thinking way too much.

She shakes her head as she regains focus, continuing her mantra, as she takes the bend. She has been on this track for twenty four laps now. She could feel the push and pull of her exhausted muscles but she grits her teeth and pushes forward, using the final cells of her endurance and stamina.

She's not tired enough yet.

She turns herself into a faster gear letting her strides become more powerful as she digs the balls of her bare feet into the wood, giving every ounce of power left in her system. She speeds through the lonely track a few more times before her muscles had taken enough.

She presses her hands to her knee caps as her lungs fight for more air. She extends her back, stretching the muscles and opening the airways to her chest to allow her body more air. She paces angrily, as her mind involuntarily goes to them.

She misses their smiles the most.

She snarls at herself as she digs the heels of her palms into her shadowed eyes.

The honey rich pearly white smiles filled with love and promises of a good future, break her walls down like a bloody sledge hammer. The summer dresses and perfectly pressed suits. The smell of honey and mint. Strong hands throwing her into the air, captured into strong capable arms. The soft lips pressed against her cheek as she squirms and giggles happily. Blonde hair swept back and black hair tied in loose buns.

She punches the closest wall, leaving a heavy indent of her fist. Blood pools down her knuckles as bits of plaster and chips of paint cascade with the drops of blood.

She takes deep breaths to calm herself.

Why now?

Why here?

She had been suppressing and forgetting and now she can't stop remembering.

She buries her hands into her raven black hair, her nails scraping her scalp. The flash of the headlights, Elric screaming, her vision fading, her mother's lifeless sapphire eyes staring off to nowhere, replay and re roll through her mind like a glitched film.

She shakes her head as she rises to her tired feet. She pads along the wooden floor and goes to the exit slapping the light switches off, leaving the room in a black abyss. She goes down the long hallways and staircases as she travels from the top floor to the twenty second floor. She walks by the secretary who eyes her warily with tired eyes from the graveyard shift. She enters into the back office, seeing empty cubicles that were hours ago filled with busy detectives and officers. She pushed past the dark corridors so that she is face to face with Elric's door.

She knocks twice strongly and once softly alerting him that it was her. Elric was always a light sleeper, so it didn't surprise her, when she heard the sound of something crashing from his room. Their was an audible hiss and then Elric opened his door. He was in a pair of shorts that he gripped with his massive hands. "Why are you still up?" He asks heavily. His chest rises and falls rapidly as he makes hurried looks behind him.

Dakota looks at her brother incredulously. "Seriously?" She asks raising her eyebrows at her brother. She rolls her eyes and pushes him aside and sees the figure on his bed. "Hey Abbie," She greets tiredly.

"Hi, Dakota." Abbie replies quietly, guilt lining the sound of her voice.

Dakota glares daggers at her brother as he gets in between her view of Abbie. "What do you need, Dakota?" He asks impatiently.

Dakota sighs and brushes her hand through her hair. "Nothing," she mutters. "Sorry I bothered you. Have fun, be safe and all that jazz."

Elric raises a blonde eyebrow to his sister as she turns on her heels and moves toward her bedroom door. With a soft click, his door closes. Dakota pushes her forehead against the grain of her door frame. The dark hallway helping her lose herself to the shadows. She looks to her bare feet and sees the light that filters from the under side of Caitlyn's office door. Dakota cocks her head curiously. The Sheriff should have left long ago with the other officers.

She taps her fingers along the heavy wood, letting it resonate in the silence. There is a second of hesitation, then a curt welcome to enter from the Sheriff inside.

Dakota quietly opens the door and pokes her head from the door frame.

Caitlyn looks up from her piles of paperwork. She looks stressed with her long black hair tied up into a high pony tail. She has a pile of mugs beside her right hand. Her icy eyes light up as she catches Dakota's features from the door. A small frown graces her thin lips as she observes Dakota's tired looking state.

"How can I help you, Master Corporal?" Caitlyn asks giving Dakota a calm smile.

"I was just curious." Dakota blurts out. "I was surprised to see you still awake."

Caitlyn chuckles softly. "Being the Sheriff, doesn't give you much time for sleep."

Dakota nods thoughtfully. "What's the paperwork for?"

Caitlyn looks to the parchments in her hand. "Oh, just case files, incident reports, budgets, salaries. Nothing too entertaining, sadly." She replies filing through the yellowed paper. She keeps an observant eye as Dakota turns her attention to one of the many bookshelves, lined with leather bound books on law enforcement. She looks exhausted. Her icy eyes are shadowed with bags under her eyelids. Her normally held high posture is held low, as if she had a great weight on her shoulders. Her muscles look spasmed as she brings her arms up so her fingers can dance along the names of the books. She sees the trail of dried blood going from her knuckles to her finger tips. Her hair is let loose and one side is pushed behind her left ear. Dakota suddenly turns to Caitlyn, her lips pressed in a firm line. She scratches the back of her neck nervously as she tries to speak. Her lips open then close. Her eyebrows knit together as she gets frustrated with what she is trying to say.

Caitlyn waits patiently. "Whatever you need to say, Dakota, it is going to be kept safe here. There is no need to worry about hiding things from me. You will learn that it is hard to get past my detective's eye."

Dakota gives a tired smirk. She buries her hands into the pockets of her sweat pants. "I, uh." She stops herself and tries again. "I never got a chance to thank you." Caitlyn knits her eyebrows together as she watches a tear force it's way out of Dakota's tired eyes. "That night, you." Dakota pauses as she brushes her hand against her cheek. "You saved me. I could've died of hypothermia or shock. But you found me." Dakota's eyes capture Caitlyn's. "You took control over the estates when my deadbeat uncle couldn't. You made sure that Elric and I were never forgotten. You tried your best to get us to their funeral." Dakota sniffs. "And I never got the chance to sincerely thank you for that." She whispers.

Caitlyn rises from her office chair. She takes long strides and embraces her biological daughter. It doesn't take long for Dakota to sob into her shoulder. The sound rips Caitlyn's heart in half as Dakota tightens her arms around Caitlyn's waist. She caresses the back of Dakota's head, stroking the raven black locks.

"Hush, love." Caitlyn whispers. "It's OK. I would have done anything for you and your brother. Your family has done so much for me, and it's only fair I do the same for the two of you."

Dakota pulls back from the embrace, an embarrassed smile on her face. She wipes her red eyes with the sleeve of her white v neck t-shirt. "Jeeze look at me." She hiccups.

Caitlyn chuckles and pushes strands of Dakota's hair behind her ears. "Through all my years as a Sheriff, I have learned that sometimes we all need a good cry."

Dakota nods, as her icy eyes lock with Caitlyn's.

Dakota's brow furrows as determination creeps into her irises.

"I wanted to ask something." Dakota begins. Caitlyn's heart skips a beat.

 _oh no_ , Caitlyn thought. _I am not prepared to tell her yet_.

"Would you mind showing me and Elric where they were buried?" Dakota asks. "Since we weren't in a stable enough condition to go to their funeral, Elric and I have decided that we wanted to go visit and hold a small memorial between us." She scratches the back of her neck, her eyes going to her bare feet.

Caitlyn brushes her hand along Dakota's jaw, she then rests her hands on her strong shoulders. "Of course, darling. I would be honored."

She takes a calming breath.

She had successfully dodged that bullet for now.

(That night)

"We are so close that I can taste it." His robotic voice careens in the halls of Zaun's council.

Illya looks to her nails. She leans herself against the metal posts, her lips pursed in annoyance. "It tastes like smog." She sneered.

Viktor turned his head to the girl watching her pick at her teeth. His yellow eyes traced back to his metallic fingers.

"Are you sure those idiot politicians have the guts to go through with this?" She asks through a haze of laziness.

Viktor gives a dark chuckle. "They better, or they will regret their weak choices."

Illya scoffs as she pushes herself off of the post. "I'd like to see that."

Viktor looks at their girl questioningly. "Do not underestimate me." He growls.

Illya's eyebrow shoots up. "I'm not underestimating, just curious." The wolfish grin that spreads through her full lips, causes the machine herald to pull his head back and stare up at the metal carved into intricate designs on the ceiling.

How in the void did he get stuck with this brat?

The door screeches open, making his head snap to the meaty politician who sweats profusely.

"Come professor." He wheezes. "The council is prepared for you pitch."

Viktor rises to his feet and strides toward the council doors.

"Shine on, ," Illya jeers as she crosses her arms over her chest.

Viktor gives a annoyed growl flipping the girl off as he enters into the room. The heavy metal doors closing him off into the political world.

Illya shakes her head.

How in the void did she get stuck with a giant nerd like him?

( One month later)

Her wrapped knuckles tap aggressively in a staccato combo on the green punching bag.

"Faster!" Abbie growls from behind the bag. "Stop being afraid, you can do better then this." She cuffs the side of Dakota's head. "Let's go Dakota!"

Dakota raises her fist to her face. She takes a deep breath and then slams her fists in a quicker transgression of the past combo, making the bag swing wildly. She finishes the combo with a powerful heel kick that makes the bag shake.

Abbie comes from behind the bag and raps her knuckles against Dakota's arm. "Now that's what I am talking about."

The two of them snap their heads as the training room door opens. Vi gives a wide grin as she sees the two soldiers. " 'Eyyy kiddos." Vi greets dropping her gym bag by one of the benches. "You treating my bag good, or do I have to rough you two up?"

Abbie scoffs, the cockiness practically coming off her in waves. "You couldn't do a thing."

Vi's grin turns wolf like. She's in a black tank top and Pink boxing shorts. Her fists are taped in pink cotton wraps and she taps her knuckles together. "Wanna bet?"

Abbie grabs Dakota's shoulder and pushes her forward. "Twenty gold pieces say that Dakota can make you tap out."

"What?" Dakota looks at Abbie with wide eyes. "Are you kidding me?"

"Shut up, Dakota." Abbie snarls.

"Fifty pieces say she doesn't last a minute." Vi interjects rolling her shoulders.

"You're on." Abbie spits into her palm and Vi does the same as they clasp hands in agreement.

The pinkette bounces on the balls of her feet. She does a couple of practice jabs, that swing with precision and power.

Dakota gulps.

"Are you bloody joking?" Dakota hisses as Abbie hands over a mouth guard. "She's going to annihilate me. She's the Enforcer of Piltover for a reason."

Abbie scoffs. "Oh c'mon. You aren't giving yourself enough credit."

"Abbie she might kill me."

"Nah."

"Are you two chickens done squawking, yet?" Vi calls.

Abbie pushes Dakota toward the mats and in front of the Enforcer, who grins widely.

"This might be the easiest fifty pieces I will ever make in my life." Vi spits sideways and places her mouth guard into her grinning mouth. She raises her fists and begins shuffling.

Dakota takes a deep breath, silently cursing Abbie.

Some friend.

She raises her arms, curling her fists in front of her face.

Vi makes the first move.

She steps forward, pulling her right fist back, and snaps her left to Dakota's face. She's quick to guard, but she catches most of the force in her jaw. It felt like she got hit by a ton of bricks. Vi follows through with a quick jab and a right hook. Dakota pulls her arm in a block and covers her face in time to take the hook's blow with her forearm. She pushes Vi back to give her room.

Vi doesn't budge.

An uppercut is aimed at Dakota's chin, but Dakota side steps to avoid it. Vi replies to the dodge with a swift cross that connects to Dakota's cheek.

It stings and feels like a jack hammer. She grunts as she takes the hit. She takes a couple of steps backward, to give herself some breathing room. Vi was super aggressive and relentless.

Ice and violet connect.

Dakota formulates a plan in her head. Her eyes turn cold and calculated.

Vi falters for a second during her next attack as she recognizes that look.

Where had she seen that look before?

Dakota senses the hesitation and is quick to react. She feigns to strike Vi's face, but uppercuts into Vi's abdomen.

Vi doesn't even flinch.

"Ooo that tickles." She snarls as she launches her fist at Dakota.

Dakota steps out of the way, barely moving out of the way of the jab. She moves her self so she's at Vi's left side and uses her agility to get behind Vi. She connects into Vi's kidney, and ducks under one of Vi's sweeps. She turns herself to face Vi and gets into the taller woman's instep. She blocks a defensive strike from Vi, catching the pinkette off guard. She clips Vi's jaw with a quick cross jab.

Vi growls and pushes Dakota back. She moves into Dakota's defensive stance and breaks her footing roots. She grabs the girl's t-shirt and lands a solid hit to her face. Dakota falls to the matt with an oof. Vi stands over the girl with a wide grin.

"Fifty nine seconds." Abbie mutters. Vi throws her hands in the air and does a victory lap around Dakota."We're working on your placements, Dakota. That was the worst fight I've ever seen you take part in. You can fight better then that." She scolds Dakota, who looks like she is about to rip Abbie's head off.

"Hey don't be too hard on her." Vi interjects. She extends a hand to Dakota who takes it, and helps the girl up. "Not her fault she couldn't take the legend." Vi flexes her biceps and wiggles her eyebrows.

Dakota is quick to business. "How did you break my stance so easily?" She asks getting back into her fighting position.

Vi laughs. "Dunno, I just hit, where I think you weren't ready to block. Ya seemed like you had a solid stance so I wanted to get in yer comfort zone and break ya down." Vi shrugs.

Dakota nods thoughtfully. Her icy eyes, set in ambition. "Let's go again."

Vi laughs in surprise. "Alright, kid, but you don't know what you got yerself into."

Dakota grins wickedly. "This time I'm not holding back."

Vi smirks. "Wouldn't have it any other way."

Later that day, Caitlyn looks for her partner. She has a hunch, but usually Vi keeps herself under schedule when it comes to her going on patrols to the lower city. It was one of Vi's favorite parts to the job. She climbs the two floors to get to the training room. She opens the door to see Dakota and Vi in a combative dance around each other. They were both drenched in sweat and cursing loudly at each other. Their arms raised and their eyes locked into a battle of witt. Dakota ducks under one of Vi's swings and steps back letting Vi over extend. She strikes Vi's arm, throwing it to the side and elbows Vi's jaw.

"Oohoo!" Vi croons. "Nice hit kid!"

Vi then catches Caitlyn's face, and grins stupidly to her boss. " 'Sup Cupcak-" Vi is cut off when Dakota tackles Vi to the matt. Vi growls and grabs the girl's shoulders. She bucks the unsuspecting teenager off and throws her to the side of pinkette's waist. Dakota lands on her back, her chest rising and falling with her heavy breaths.

The two of them burst into laughter suddenly.

Caitlyn couldn't help but smile at the two brawlers.

Vi's goofy smile turns to Caitlyn. "As I was saying before I got so rudely interrupted." She smacks Dakota's abdomen, making the girl yelp in surprise. "Sup, Cupcake?"

Caitlyn rolls her icy eyes and places her hands on her hips. "You're late for your patrol, Vi."

Vi's eyes widen. "Ahh shit. Sorry Cait."

She rises to her feet. "Alright kid, catch ya later. Make sure you work on those strikes like I taught ya." She goes over to Caitlyn and kisses her cheek, before she departs, grabbing her duffel bag and heading to the showers.

Dakota is quick to follow. She stands to her feet and grins wickedly at Caitlyn. "I have never been good at boxing." She admits to the sheriff. "I have learned a lot today."

Caitlyn smirks. "You probably learned from the best boxer in Piltover."

Dakota nods. "I didn't mean to keep her. Sorry sheriff." She smiles apologetically.

Caitlyn shakes her head. "Don't you have a class to get to soon."

Dakota's lips go to a side smile. "Yeah, I should get to that. Thanks Sheriff." She grabs her training bag and pads off.

Caitlyn can't help but laugh as the soldier leaves.

It shouldn't surprise her, that her girlfriend and daughter became best friends.


	9. Chapter 9: Rune Magic and Sapphire Eyes

**A/N: Hello bbs! Hope you enjoy! Next week I'm going to be taking a break from writing because it will be Thanksgiving weekend and I will most likely be in my home town not able to work on this. So I hope you guys don't mind. Anyways, enjoy the chapter. Please leave reviews and let me know what you think.**

She is unmoving.

Her eyes flick to the terrified scientists as they work around her. Her lips curl into something demonic as she feels the first hit of it roll through her bloodstream.

She had no clue as to what It was, but she would take it for her country.

Viktor approaches her from the side. His amber eyes follow the ivs and bags of fluids, calculating how much of the rune magic had went through her. The liquid is a sludge that drips slowly from the bag. It mingles with the saline to be a more viscous substance. He gives an appreciative nod.

Most scream by now.

Her muscles are taut as her body reacts to it. Her teeth are gritted, but she dares not make a sound. It feels like fire as it travels through her veins. She finds it hard to breath, but she does not pant.

She will call upon her strength and she will conquer.

She will be the future leader of a powerful nation.

She would make her father's crooked lips turn up in pride.

And when he does, she will kill him.

(Two weeks later)

Ezreal slaps the map down in front of Caitlyn. He plops himself into one of the many chairs in front of her desk and places his muddy boots on the oak wood. She casts a dark glare to the young man, who grins sheepishly and removes his boots.

"What am I looking at, Ezreal?" She asks. Stress is lined through her voice. She runs her finger-less gloves through her raven black locks as her icy eyes follow the borders and carefully scratched marks of ink in the yellowed parchment. Her eyes trace paths of some unfamiliar city with hard to pronounce street names.

There had been so much criminal activity that just popped back in Piltover. A new gang that escaped the murky lower city had stomped their proverbial foot into one of the unstable territories, wreaking havoc among the innocent citizens.

Caitlyn had just returned from a shoot out with the gang. One of her officers were killed and Vi had been clipped in the calf. After she had made sure that her brawler was ok, she had to rush over to HQ, and gave out the press release after she had contacted the fallen officer's family. She had all done this within a span of three hours and she hadn't even had a lunch break yet. Now the mayor wants her to orchestrate a mission.

By the void, if she could survive the Jinx attacks, she could survive this.

Ezreal splays a toothy grin onto his thin pale lips. His blonde hair is in a disarray held back by a pair of googles. He leans close and points a finger to the map.

"That, is your key to getting into Zaun undetected." He wiggles his eyebrows. "And that," He points to another area of the map. "Is where Viktor's rumored lab is located."

Caitlyn looks up to Ezreal's cocky grin.

"My gods, Ez. Thank you." Her eyes scan the surface of the map with more attention.

Suddenly the office door is burst open. Low and behold the Piltover Enforcer limps into the office practically steaming from the ears. She grabs Ezreal by the collar of his leather jacket. Her violet eyes glaring into his steely blue hues.

"Ya son of a bitch." She growls. "You come here and visit her, but not me? I get that you just got back from Shurima, but your old buddy, who I might add has saved yer keister from the hexblades many moons ago, is shot and in a stupid hospital bed, and ya don't come to visit her." She twists his head to her hip and wraps her muscular arms around his neck. She places her fist on top of Ezreal's scalp and nuggies the young man, who squirms helplessly in the stronger woman's grasp.

"Aw come on, Vi" Ezreal grits his teeth as he finally slips out of Vi's iron like grip. He starts to fix his messy hair and sweeps his goggles back onto the top of his head. He is frowning heavily, as he glares daggers at the pinkette.

Vi limps over to Caitlyn and plants a kiss on the top of her hair.

"What can I do to help, Cupcake?" She asks extending her calloused hands toward her partner.

Caitlyn practically sighs in relief as she hands a load of paperwork and damage reports to Vi. She can see the twist of disgust run through Vi's face, but she grits her teeth and takes the stack without any verbal complaints. Vi playfully shoves Ezreal out of the way as she hobbles her way to her desk. She gets to work instantaneously with her chicken scratch scrawl.

Usually, Caitlyn is a perfectionist with her elegant cursive, but she will take Vi's help and hold back the impending annoyance that makes her slight eyebrow twitch.

"Anyways, if you need any other help getting there or back, just let me know." Ezreal says as he straightens out his jacket and wipes invisible dust off of his front. "I have to head to the university for a bit. I'll be there if you need me."

Caitlyn nods. "Of course, Ezreal. Thank you again. You have really helped me out here. I am in your debt."

Ezreal scoffs. "Nah, sheriff. Don't even mention it." He wipes his tan cheek. "Alright, well I'll leave you ladies to get to work. Catch you later, Vi. We'll have to get a couple of drinks before I go to Demacia."

"Hell yeah, I'd love that man. Let me know when and we'll set it up." Vi grins wolfishly. "You owe me after you lost that bet."

Ezreal chuckles."Yeah, yeah. See you later then." Ezreal then turns to exit, but comes face to face with Abbigail and Dakota. The two tall girls both raise an eyebrow to the young explorer. He eyes Dakota with squinted curiosity. He then turns his head to Caitlyn then back to Dakota, seeing the similarities. He opens his mouth, but the glare that Caitlyn shoots him closes it instantly. He nods and reminds himself to ask later. He pushes past the two soldiers and leaves the premise.

Abbigail scoffs and strides over to where Dakota sits herself at the oak desk and Abbigail follows suit.

"You are twenty minutes early." Caitlyn says as she writes notes on a parchment as she regards the Zaunite map.

"I hear you have a mission for us?" Abbigail asks, tilting her chin up.

Dakota rolls her eyes. "She's been antsy all day. Please excuse us, Sheriff" Dakota crosses her arms over her chest as she sends a sideways glare to Abbigail.

Abbigail raises a warning eyebrow to Dakota.

Caitlyn pinches the bridge of her nose.

 _Adapt_ , She thinks to herself.

"I have asked you two to here in regards of the up coming mission." She says sternly. "I have gotten to know you each individually and as a group. I find your synergy and teamwork are impeccable."

"But you don't think we are ready for this kind of work?" Abbigail interprets snarkily.

Caitlyn raises an eyebrow. "I did not say that, Abbigail. If you let me finis-"

"Look sheriff, we've been on plenty of missions. If you don't think we aren't capable, put us against your best SWAT team and I bet we could take them out in seconds." She interrupts.

"Abbie, that's enough." Dakota growls a warning, squaring her shoulders to the feisty red head. "Let her finish before you go ripping heads off for nothing."

"Thank you, master corporal." Caitlyn watches as Abbie stews in anger. " I wanted to know if there was something you needed from me as your superior, to help you get through this mission with no bumps a long the way. Is there something that I can make more accessible to you?"

Abbie's simmering anger subsides and a blush of embarrassment flushes on to her tan and speckled cheeks.

"Usually our briefings give us enough information for us to work on. As long as we know where we are going and we have enough intel to know that we can use our skills to get in and get out, then we are fine. Our deployments and extractions have usually been through train rails, but I myself find it super risky. Maybe if we could get trained on the use of military issued hexmobiles it could help us get there quicker and get out in tight situations." Dakota answers within a heartbeat.

Caitlyn nods thoughtfully. She intently writes down bits of what Dakota says. "I can get that for you. I will get all of you trained in defensive driving by the end of this week."

Dakota smiles widely. "Joy rides, Joy rides everywhere."

Caitlyn frowns.

"Revoked permits, revoked permits everywhere."

(1 week later)

The man is whimpering.

Pathetic.

"Noxian General?" She sneers. "Impossible. You are a sniveling coward."

He's a large man with toned muscles. Battle scars line his pale skin along his back, chest and arms. His hand had been swiped off cleanly by her blade. He clutches it to his chest. His wide brown eyes widen as she approaches closer.

"Tell me, Diedirich." She grabs him by his unkempt beard, making the bear of a man yelp. "What made you think you were stronger then my father?"

A puddle of piss, pools at his bare feet.

Good.

He should be scared.

The girl is a force no longer human. He watches the rune magic glow under her skin. The runes are a sickly neon green that shine from her arms, shoulders and face. A demonic grin is spread through her thin lips. Her lavender hair is let loose and it hangs in front of her face. Her emerald eyes glow even brighter with the rune magic. Her short sword gleams with the green runes that mark her ancestry. Her pale hand glides over the sharpness of the blade, wiping the small stream of blood off the edge.

She launches a fist to his face making him stumble back and fall against the grimy stone wall. The smell of mold and moisture enter into her nostrils. She takes the hilt of her sword against his gut making him double over. Her knee comes up and it connects with his jaw.

"You can't even fight." She spits in his face. Tears of fear and pain fall to his cheeks.

She takes a step back. A menacing side smile dances on her lips. She takes a quick sweep with her blade to his stomach. His entrails fall to the musty stone floor.

Horror and shock fall upon his eyes, as he looks to the girl in terror. With another swipe his arm comes off. She reaches for his hair, grabbing the matted mop of light brown. She takes the tip of the blade and presses it against the Adam's apple at his neck, letting a small trickle of blood roll off the small indent.

She watches as his eyes glisten over. She shakes his head, banging it against the wall. "Stay awake." She scolds playfully. "You won't get to see the fun part if you die now."

He whimpers, a pleading look entering into his glassy eyes.

She takes a small step back and with a small twirl she cleaves his ribs and cuts the man in half.

As his upper half falls, she takes a quick swipe to his head, making it bounce and roll to the entrance of the stone dungeon. She cocks her head to the side as his blood pools around her.

She snorts and turns on her heels. She faces the wall and goes to her knees. She drops the rune blade behind her. She clasps her fingers behind her head and awaits for Viktor's acolytes to gather her, and detail her on the scientific results of how she treated the experiment.

A heavy metal door shrieks like a thousand banshees. They approach her quickly. Metal clasps onto her wrists as they bring her hands behind her back. They pull her up to a stand.

As they turn her, she is face to face with Viktor.

"I say it's a success, what do you think, professor?" She sneers through her bared teeth.

A robotic chuckle erupts from his throat.

"In a sense, Illya. You still have room for some improvement, but I feel that the next dose, may be the last. You have progressed quickly. After this treatment, we can begin your evolution."

A sickening feeling goes to her gut. Why couldn't she stay the way she was?

She wanted to be put on the fields so she could turn the Demacians into sniveling children, begging for their mothers.

She gives a chortle of disapproval.

"No," Her eyes glow toward the professor. "I am finished with experiments. Let me lead the hordes. Noxus will finally win this drawn out war once and for all. I will end the Lightshield dynasty myself." She snarls.

Viktor looks warily at the girl.

"That is not what we had planned." He says finally.

"I don't care about the plan, Viktor. I have a nation to lead. Release me this instant." Her voice is laced with venom and rage. The rune magic begins to course through her body with fiery hot pain. "Or I will break these restraints."

"Enough, Illya. You will do as I say." His robotic tone is stern. "We continue tomorrow."

Her eyes lock with Viktor's. He turns on his heels and begins to exit.

"Viktor!" Her roar is deafening. "Release me now. This is your final warning!"

He freezes at the door his third arm inspecting the craftsmanship of the rusted iron. "Chain her to the wall. If she believes childish temper tantrums will get her anywhere, then she shall be treated as one."

She feels her power growing with a grunt she tries to break the manacles. Her eyebrows furrow in concentration as they bring her to the wall and chain her arms above her head.

"Stop trying." Viktor's voice is close to a whisper, as he stands at the entrance of the dungeon's cell. "I have designed them for you. Something is always bound to happen with your experiments. I thought you would have been better then that." He sounds so disappointed. "Hopefully your behavior turns for the better. I will see you in two days time. I suggest you reflect on your attitude."

The door's squeals drown out Illya's fight against the chains. Alarms wail along the compound, alerting of intruders in the laboratory.

Illya flails against the chains with desperation.

"VIKTOR!"

(Minutes before)

Five pairs of eyes watch from below. Their faces are painted to match the shadows of the smoggy cityscape. They rise to a crouch as they duck past a guard on the rooftop. Elric is leading, with his drawn shield and sword. Dakota comes up behind him and vaults over his shoulder. She releases her tomahawk and it flies to the unsuspecting guard, digging into the base of his skull. The guard falls to his knees. Dakota sprints forward, dislodging the tomahawk and dragged the body into the shadows. She peers over the side of the rooftop stairwell to see if there were more guards.

Her hands signal for her unit to move forward.

They push against the door frame. Matais does quick work, letting his magic break the lock to the door. Dakota throws a hextech bug down the stairs to detect any enemy presence, with a high pitch whistle it signals the all clear. They sneak down the stairway, with Elric and Dakota taking point. With whistled communications, the bug analyzes each floor. Her low whistles instructing it to guide them using it's making and GPS systems. It whirs and clicks as it gathers it's bearings guiding them down the multiple flights of stairs downward. It takes them to a final landing, it clacks and whistles as it tries to go past the door that holds as an obstacle.

The smell of moisture and mold hit her nose as soon as she opens the door. It looked like a dungeon with cells and stalactites dripping cave water to the stone floor. With a low hum from Dakota's throat the bug produces a light and flies forward. Metal doors with heavy padlocks keep the doors locked to the outside.

They continue down the long cell way to a final open space where chemicals burn and bubble.

"Where is everyone?" Abbie asks, her voice sharp in the soft ambiance of the boiling liquids.

"Probably busy doing something else. Let's be quick, gather the information and let's go." Elric hisses as he saunters over to a pile of documents. Dakota follows behind grabbing files and documents, recipes and experiment folders, anything she can get her hands on, with Elric's approval.

They freeze as the notice a body covered over with a clear drape. Dakota and Elric cut their eyes to each other as they approach the body carefully.

"What in the void?" Elric asks in disgust as they see machines pumping in a black sludge into the body's chest. They pull back the drape to see the half missing face. The chest is sewn back together, with pumps pushed into the chest cavity. There are broken ribs that threaten to break through the pale skin.

Dakota swallows down the bile that rises to her mouth.

"Ugh, no wonder it smells terrible down here." Alex comments. He leans in to get a better look. " They have been dead for a long time though. Maybe everybody left."

"On the contrary." The robotic voice sends a shiver down all of their spines. Dakota is quick to turn on her heels. The Machine Herald, Viktor, stands at his full height. In his left hand he holds a great staff. His right hand is behind his back as he stands with his feet shoulder length apart. His third arm rolls it's metal knuckles and joints with inhuman ease. "None have left, they only arrive." His voice echoes along the walls of the laboratory.

Dakota is quick to react as she sends out a wolf whistle. The hextech bug whirs forward and flies into Viktor's face, exploding in a great flash of white. Abbie launches herself at the machine herald and throws him against a side wall, giving an easy access to escape. The rest follow as the sprint forward.

They push passed the cells and break down the door to the stairwell. Alarms blare and flashing red lights bounce off the walls. Dakota leads the charge forward keeping her movements fast and agile as she takes the steps two at a time. Her axes are held tightly in her grip. She looks behind her to see Abbie and Elric fending off from behind as they fight up the stairway.

"Go! Go! Go!" Alex yells as he pushes Dakota forward.

Dakota bursts to the rooftop door She readies her axes and waits for her comrades to burst through that door. Alex is first, followed by Matais, then Abbie. Elric is last as he fights off an attacker. Dakota launches forward, coming from the side and digging her axe into the follower's side, making an inhuman screech echo through the night sky. She ducks as it tries to claw at her. Elric slams his shield to the follower's front making it stumble back. With fast reflexes, Dakota lodges her axe into the front of the follower's skull, cracking the metal mask covering it's face. Black blood oozed from the axe wound. The follower fell lifelessly to it's knees.

Elric grabbed Dakota by the back of her shirt and threw her toward Abbie as another follower came screaming toward them.

Dakota regained her footing as she slammed into Abbie.

Her eyes widened as she watched as one of the followers wrapped a rope around Elric's neck, pulling him down with inhuman strength.

"Elric!" Her scream was blood curdling. His sapphire eyes caught hers.

"Get out of here!" He yelled as he struggled against the oncoming flow of the followers.

Dakota readied her axes and tried to sprint forward. Abbie tackled her down before she could take any steps forward. "ELRIC!"

"Dakota we need to leave!" Abbie's voice screamed into her ears. Abbie pulled Dakota up and hefted the girl on her shoulders and leaped to an adjacent rooftop, leaving Elric behind.

"Let me go!" She struggled against the stronger girl. Dakota felt Abbie's grip go tighter around Dakota's limbs. "ELRIC!"

"Shut up, Dakota!" Abbie yelled back back, leaping to another clay topped roof.

"You left him! You left him out there to die!"

Abbie leaped to another rooftop trailing behind Matais and Alex.

"I said to shut your gods damned mouth, Dakota!"

Dakota bit into Abbie's neck, making the older girl roar and toss Dakota off of her shoulder toward Matais.

"For the love of Valoran, knock her out or something, before I skin her alive." Abbie warned, pointing a finger to Matais who raised a questioning eyebrow at Abbie. "Come on, they'll be on our tail any minute now, I can't have her screaming throughout Zaun, getting us caught!"

Matais shrugged.

Dakota rose to her feet and tried to move forward, but Abbie's staff came into contact with her stomach making Dakota double over.

"I'm sorry, Dakota." Matais mumbled as he pulled Dakota's head back, making her icy eyes go to the smoggy skies. He pressed his thumb into the middle of her forehead. Dakota's vision faded slowly into blackness. Her knees connected to the clay shingles. She felt strong arms capture her before she could tumble down to the streets below.

Her final thoughts before she was lost to unconsciousness, was of Elric's sapphire eyes pleading for them to run.


	10. Chapter 10: Damp Spaces and Mothers

**A/N- Hey bbs I have returned. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Also I must warn, there is some mention of how Caitlyn had been attacked when she became pregnant with Dakota. So if you are uncomfortable with that kind of thing I would take your time and possibly move to the next segment. Also prepare for the feels. It's gonna hit you like a train...I hope. Enjoy ^_^**

She shoots into an upright position. Her raven black hair is plastered to the back of her neck with damp sweat. Her breathing is laboured and hard to control as the dream triggers the anxiety attack. Her icy eyes are widened with fear as she inspects the unfamiliar room. She brings her knees to her chest wrapping her long pale arms around her shins. She presses her forehead into her knee caps as she focuses on her wild breathing.

One, two, three, four, five ,six, inhale.

Hold.

One, two, three, four, five, six, exhale.

Her beating heart begins to slow as she concentrates on controlling herself. She takes shaky deep breaths and collects her thoughts.

First things first, where the hell was she?

The room is a tiny square of egg white high ceilinged walls. There's a wide bay window that overlooks the Piltover city skyline. The mid afternoon sun streams through the lace curtain that blows from an autumn wind.

OK, so she's somewhere in Piltover.

Her eyes dart to the rest of the room. She sees her armor piled onto an Ionian fir dresser. Her eyes flick to her dirty boots that stand at the base of the dresser.

She looks to herself.

She is placed in a rather comfortable queen sized bed that takes up half of the room. She's wearing her usual cotton long sleeved black shirt, that goes underneath her armour. It's soaked in her night terror sweat. She pushes the white duvet off of her body and looks to the black denim pants. She wiggles her bare feet, wondering where her favorite pair of socks went.

She was still in her armour gear. Someone must have helped her into the bed.

She tries to recollect what had happened last night, but the memories were fuzzy. Her right hands travels through her bangs, letting the hair slip through her fingers.

Zaun, she was in Zaun.

She swings her legs over the side of the bed and places her feet onto the hardwood floor.

She carefully approaches the door, turning the brass doorknob. She opens the heavy door just a crack to catch any sights or sounds that might help her figure out where she was. The smell of oil, tea and cleaning supplies hit her nose, with the slight hint of bacon. She peers through the crack seeing a long hallway. Soundlessly she pulls the rest of the door back and looks on the left hand side of the short hallway.

Two doors open up to a rather modern looking bathroom and a large master bedroom with a comfy looking queen sized bed, with a grey comforter and massive body pillows. Beside the bedroom was a closed door, where the sounds of hammers and drilling escaped from underneath the door. She quietly padded to the opening of the hallway and entered into a massive open living room that led out to a turned her head to the kitchen where Abbie and the sheriff looked like they were having a serious conversation.

Abbie's tall lean body, was resting against the black granite countertop. Her tawny arms were crossed over her chest. Her white v-neck T-shirt had a speck of blood on her neck line. Her fiery hair was tied up into a tight bun. Her face was in an expression of short fused anger. Her hand cupped the side of her face as she rubbed her temples.

The sheriff was seated at a small kitchen table. Her long legs were crossed over each other. Her pale lithe hands were placed on her thighs. She sat with a well practiced posture. Her small shoulders were held back and her chin was tipped up slightly as she stared Abbie down. Both their heads turned as Dakota stepped on a squeaky floorboard by the entrance of the short hallway.

Caitlyn stood up slowly from the kitchen chair and flattened the bottom of her purple dress. Her icy eyes softened at the confused state that was Dakota's face.

Caitlyn observed the shadows under her eyes that defined the tiredness in her face. A confused frown was placed on her lips as she looked around. She was covered in sweat, and the ends of her hair were plastered to the back of her neck. She padded closer toward the two women as she reached behind herself and scratched the back of her neck. Her icy eyes locked to Caitlyn's, questions and demands lining her optics. Her pupils contracted and dilated as she focused her confused gaze to Abbie's moving figure.

Abbie stood up straighter, her long arms held at her sides, her knuckles tucked into tight fists. Her jaw line was taut with anger and frustration, but her chocolate eyes were filled with sorrow and sadness, and lined with guilt. She brought one of her arms up to her shoulder hugging herself and looked away from Dakota.

Dakota quirked a curious eyebrow to her captain. She returned her questioning gaze to Caitlyn.

"Where am I?" Her voice was rough and husky from the drowsiness of waking up. Her high Piltovian accent becoming more prominent, but the Demacian side lilted in the shadows of her voice, waiting for her to be more alert.

Caitlyn gave a calming smile as she answered. "You are in my penthouse apartment, only a five minutes walk from town hall centre."

Dakota nodded taking in the information, letting her mind calculate and understand where she was located. Her eyes did a quick sweep of the kitchen, looking for potential threats, then relaxed, as none came in sight. She refocused back to Caitlyn. "For the life of me, I can't…" She swallowed the rising emotion of embarrassment. "I… what happened last night?" Her eyes quickly looked away. She developed a nervous chuckle. "I know I didn't go out on the town." A small lopsided grin went to her thin lips.

The tension in the room could've been cut by a knife. Dakota sensed it, and took a careful step back, her eyes flicking to Abbie. The air around Abbie was suffocated by rage and intensity. Her fists went into tighter balls,as her knuckles threatened to break through her skin. Her tawny arms were held in taut muscles that shook uncontrollably.

"Abbie?" Dakota sounded like a kick puppy as she watched her superior turn her back to Dakota. "What did I do?" Terror trembled in Dakota's voice, her eyes wide with fear of the unknown.

" _You_ didn't do anything, Dakota." Abbie whispered. Even though her voice was quiet, it rang loud enough to make the hairs on Dakota's neck stand on end.

Something went wrong.

Her gut clenched, as the feeling of dread rippled through her abdomen.

Dakota's icy eyes turned into a blizzard. "Captain Preston!" Dakota's voice made Abbie's head snap up. "As your subordinate, you need to let me know what happened." Dakota warned. "I need to help with damage control for the rest of the unit, so you better tell me what happened."

Abbie turned on her heels. She stalked to Dakota, gripping the front of her shirt and pushing her up against the modern double door refrigerator. Jars and various other food stuffs rattled inside, as the two bodies crashed aggressively into the stainless steel face.

Chocolate and Ice glared sharper than daggers.

"Abbie!" Caitlyn warned. It fell to unlistening ears.

"Your idiot brother didn't make it out!" Abbie roared. "He couldn't let us get hurt, so he sacrificed himself so that we could get away!" Tears rolled down her cheeks. Anger and guilt lined her weakening throat.

Dakota's eyes widened.

Her heart froze.

Dakota pushed Abbie away, her strong arms making the older girl tumble onto the hardwood floor.

Dakota fell to her knees as the memories came flooding back.

She was running up flights of stairs, a messenger bag slapping against her hip as she took two stairs at a time. Alex screaming at her to keep going and to not look back. The smell of Matais's crystal shards being used to hold back the acolytes. Elric and Abbie had pushed them back far enough, so that they could follow the rest of their group.

Elric was being attacked and she had helped him take one out.

She remembered him grabbing her roughly and throwing her to Abbie.

He got pinned down as rope enclosed his neck. He was tackled and brought to his back. His sapphire eyes widened in fear. "Get out of here!" He had bellowed.

Dakota could've helped him. She would've taken everyone of them down.

 _Abbie._ Dakota snarled in her thoughts.

Abbie wouldn't let her. Abbie had tackled her to the ground.

Dakota stood menacingly over Abbie. Her face darkened with an emotionless state. Her icy eyes slitted and her nostrils flared.

Abbie didn't expect the speed or strength that Dakota possessed as she grabbed her throat. She dragged Abbie to her feet and pinned her against a wall across from the fingers dug into Abbie's windpipe cutting off the air supply. Caitlyn rushed to Abbie's aid, but was swatted by Dakota, pushing her away from the two soldiers.

Abbie clawed at Dakota's pale arms, that shook violently.

"You could have let me save him." Dakota spat, her teeth bared in a snarl. She brought her free fist up and slammed it into Abbie's abdomen, making her target jerk and sputter for air.

"Vi!" Caitlyn screamed, as she brought herself back to her feet. Desperation and urgency laced through her panicked scream. "Vi, get out here!"

Dakota could hear a door get kicked down. The enforcer rushed out from the small hallway, eyes wide as she witnessed Dakota choking the life out of Abbie. She pulled her goggles off her face and ripped a pair of leather work gloves off her calloused hands.

"You left him there!" Dakota growled, her icy eyes, turned into a winter storm of threatening rage and destruction. "I thought you loved him!"

Vi launched forward striking at Dakota's exposed elbow, making her grip loosen around Abbie's neck. Vi wrapped her muscular arms around Dakota's waist pulling the girl away from the redhead, who gasped and fought for air. Caitlyn rushed to the captain's side pulling her to her feet. She helped get Abbie out of Dakota's view pushing her into her personal bedroom leaving heavy oak to be the barrier between the two soldiers.

Vi held tightly to the kicking girl. Dakota writhed in her grip as she struggled to break free. Vi grunted, as one of the girl's heels connected into her shin. "Let go of me," She seethed, pressing her elbows into Vi's ribs.

"Not until you calm the hell down, kid." Vi huffed, tightening her grip around Dakota's waist ignoring the girl's flailing attempt to escape.

"She left him there to rot!" She bellowed. She threw her weight forward making Vi lose a bit of her footing. With a roar, she ripped her way out of Vi's grip and went to the floor, sweeping her leg so that she made Vi fall backward, cracking her head onto the counter.

Vi grunted and lunged for the girl wrapping her fingers in the black cotton of Dakota's shirt, dragging the girl back. Dakota clawed at the hard wood floor, trying to gain some kind of purchase as Vi dragged her back to her person. Dakota tried to kick at Vi, trying to get the brawler to let her go, but Vi took each impact, snarling and seething. A sob ripped through Dakota as her will to fight diminished as the brawler's arms collected the girl in her lap. Tears streaked through her cheeks.

"I could have saved him." She sobbed.

Vi closed her violet eyes and embraced the grieving teenager. Dakota curled into a ball and nuzzled her nose into Vi's pentakill tank top. "I know,kid." Vi sighed, rubbing the girl's back. "I know."

( 1 day later)

Sapphire blinked, and caught nothing but darkness.

The smell of dampness and mold struck his nose. The moisture in the air made it hard to breathe as he tried to recollect himself.

The shackles on his wrists were extraordinarily tight. He could feel the rawness of the biting metal and hissed as he pulled too hard. His ankles were free however.

He tried to get himself into a standing position with gritted teeth, as the metal shackles held his arms to ankle height. He returned back to his seating position and let his head rest up against the grimy wall.

Suddenly, with a screech of a thousand banshee wails, a large metal door opened, pooling the small room in light. Five acolytes dragged in a girl, who was obviously giving them a hard time. One of them bashed her head with a cane, making the girl snarl and free one of her arms. Her fist connected into the acolyte's head, making it take a step back. A syringe implanted itself into her thigh, as another follower of the machine herald, snickered evilly. The girl fell to her knees without the support of the others.

"You fuckers paralyzed me." There was a slight arrogant chortle coming from the girl. "I'll remember that."

A boot was pressed into the side of the girl's face as the four others worked at her wrists that were pulled behind her. They dragged her to her feet, and clamped heavy restraints around her ankles and forearms. They raised her captured wrists above her head and hammered a nail into a chain giving it a tight grip.

One of the acolytes have a playful slap to the side of the girl's face, earning a devious smile on the girl's full lips.

The five acolytes departed the room, slamming the screeching door firmly closed, and bringing the room back into to pitch black.

He heard an exasperated sigh and the sound of rustling chains. "You up yet, Blondie?" The girl asked through a snicker.

A small smile splayed on his lips. She sounded like Abbie. In the back of his mind he wondered if his unit had survived the onslaught. He wondered if his sister was okay and if her and Abbie were getting along.

"I asked you a fucking question." The girl snarled.

He was taken aback by the girl's rudeness.

"Cranky, are we?" He asked playfully.

He heard a snort across the room. "What do you expect, dumbass? You'll understand soon. Viktor wants to test on you. Apparently you are quite the fine specimen." There was a mock accent at the word specimen.

He wish he could get a better look at the feisty girl and see the mask of the arrogant character.

He chuckled darkly. "Seems to be my luck."

"Well, shit for brains, this is the worst piece of luck anyone could come by."

(1 hour later)

They had been looking for her.

She had a hunch, but it was only a hunch.

Vi and Alex had focused their search toward the lower city, and smuggling rings that take immigrants to and from Zaun. Abbie and Matais were on the hunt in the upper city, following any trail they could. It had led them to her missing armor, weapons and hextech from her room.

But how could you find a person that didn't want to be found?

She took a deep sigh as she stared at the wrought iron gates. Gargoyles guarded the massive stone walls, giving gnarly faces of sharp teeth and downward casted stone eyes. The rain pattered against the canvas material of her dark blue Piltover Police Department jacket. Her trusty rifle was strapped to her shoulder tightly. Her purple top hat replaced by the blue hood of the jacket, blocking off the rain from her raven black locks.

Her boots echoed off the stonewalls as they cascaded down the cobbled path. She nodded to the guard who let her in with a solemn look. She bowed her head in thanks and continued down the way.

Her eyes passed the names etched in stone. They were forgotten family names, taken away by plagues, murder, accidents or old age. Some had intricate designs carved into the immaculate stone, while others had begun to be grown over by the rigid vines and damp wild grass.

It didn't take her long to find her.

She stayed a few feet away, watching cautiously as the soldier pressed her fingers into the marble, following the curves of her family name. She was crouched low and pressed her forehead into the marble. She was in her battle attire. Her chest plate,greaves and arm guards darker then midnight itself. Her black combat boots were pressed into the muddy rain soaked earth. Her leather hood was pulled off showing her raven black bangs braided to the back of her head, keeping the hair out of the way of her icy eyes. Her axes hung from her belt, looking sharp and ready.

The sheriff took a careful step, alerting the soldier instantly of her presence.

With a flash of speed the girl rose and turned on her heels, her rough hands hovering over the safety latches of her axes. Her icy eyes hardened into a terrifying glare toward the sheriff.

"What are you doing here?" She asked suspiciously. Her eyes flicked to one of the stone walls, looking for an emergency escape.

Caitlyn gave a cool smile.

"Your unit is worried about you, they thought you left them." She stated crossing her arms over her chest.

Rain dribbled down Dakota's nose. In this weather, her icy eyes were icier than ever. The subtle blues and dark greys of the clouded sky, brightened them. In Caitlyn's mind, she wondered if her own icy eyes were this intense with the rain.

Dakota gave a snort. "I wouldn't leave them. I'm ..." She looked away from Caitlyn a sure sign of a lie being brought up from Dakota. "I'm going to the Demacian high lands, for a while."

Caitlyn raised an eyebrow to Dakota, an unamused look on her face. "You are a terrible liar, Master Corporal."

Dakota's spine went ramrod straight as her rank was uttered by the sheriff. Her jaw line went taut with frustration and she bit her lower lip in agitation. She sighed heavily.

"I'm bringing my brother home." She muttered. Her intense eyes then locked with Caitlyn's in a challenge. "And you can't stop me, sheriff."

A smile tugged at the sheriff's lips. How many times has she heard herself say those same words to her father, mother and even Vi?

Caitlyn regained control, and nodded at the information. "Who said I was going to stop you?"

Dakota blinked at the sheriff in shock.

Caitlyn reached into her jacket pocket and produced a set of keys. "Down the road is my black Z367 hexmobile. If it so much as gets the slightest scratch you won't have to worry about Viktor killing you." Caitlyn tossed the keys to Dakota who caught them without even blinking.

"Of course," Dakota blurted.

Caitlyn stepped off the path and gestured to Dakota." You better get going. I expect you back by midnight. If you do not return by then I am not risking your unit to come retrieve you."

"I understand, sheriff." The young master Corporal replied. "Thank you." Dakota flipped the hood of her leather under jacket. She lunged forward and sprinted down the path.

Caitlyn looked longingly at the headstone beside her. Her lithe fingers dragged along the marble, gliding by the stone etchings of the Sampson name. "By the gods, Sarah, I hope I made the right choice." She whispered to the grave stone.

(That night)

She rested against the black leather of the sleek hexmobile. It was a fast car, and Dakota couldn't get enough of it's speed. She knew she had blown past a few highway speed limits, without so much as a grunt from the hexmobile's high performance engine. She wondered if the sheriff was a speed demon, especially with this sleek car. She could picture the sheriff, with a wry grin and a bubbling laugh as her foot pressed against the accelerator, letting the hexmobile purr under her control.

Her eyes wandered to the large building in front of her, where the small figure of a guard was rested against the wall of the entrance, with arms crossed over their chest. Their face was covered by a metal mask, with engravings of facial features. She had been watching them for over five hours hours. Soon they would trade the guards like they did every hour, and that would be her ticket in.

She had parked in the shadows of some alleyway across from the brick building. This is where they were sent. A rumoured temporary laboratory owned by the machine herald himself.

Dakota gripped the steering wheel with white knuckles. She took a large breath and opened the car door quietly. She exited out of the vehicle seamlessly. She reached behind her and released the buckles that were holding her chest plate. She knelt low using the black door to give her a hiding spot as she took off the greaves and armguards. She looked to her belt with a frown. She would have to leave her precious axes behind with the plan she had. With a sigh, she undid the safety latches and took out the axes from the leather. She let her finger drift over the locking mechanism, thinking how terribly Caitlyn would skin her alive if her vehicle had been stolen. She made sure the other doors were also locked. She pocketed the key into the deep pockets of her black denim pants. She flipped the hood of her leather tunic letting it hide her features. She pulled the ends of the tunic over her weapons belt, ensuring that the hextech bugs and the combat knife were out of view. With a final deep breath, she silently closed the vehicle's door and strode along the city sidewalk.

Dakota hated Zaun. It was a rancid city, with garbage and constant smog lining the city streets. The feeling of being watched struck her instincts, most likely the unknown street orphans allowing their curiosity to pull them out of their hiding spot. Dakota stopped to let an electrocarriage pass the disgusting city street. She dug her hands into her pockets, as a cold fall breeze whipped through the cobbled pavement. She kept her head low as she approached the large brick building.

In her peripherals, she noticed the guard push off the wall, getting into a more intimidating position. She feigned to trip and barreled into the guard's shoulder, making a snarling grunt report from the guard's throat. They grabbed at her shoulders and threw her up against the wall. Dakota ducked under the guard's arm as they tried to strike her. She lashed out and swiped the metal mask off her assailant's face. She side stepped the guard and leaped forward bringing the guard out of their position as they chased after her.

Dakota now had the game tipped in her hand. She took a sharp turn into an unknown alleyway, the acolyte tight on her heels. She skidded to a halt and bent her knees. She turned her body toward the acolyte, letting the darkness of the pitch black alleyway to give her a final act of surprise as she grabbed the acolyte by the ducked under the acolyte's defending arm and came behind them. She wrapped her long arms around the follower's neck, using her height to her advantage. She pressed the crook of her elbow to push into the acolyte's windpipe, crushing it. She knelt low as she brought the follower to the grimy alleyway floor. The acolyte stopped struggling, letting death take over their body.

With icy eyes shut tight she waited, still applying pressure to ensure the acolyte was done. She dropped the body and set to work undressing the machine herald's follower. She slipped out of her leather tunic and into the soft cotton hooded jacket. She did the buttons all the way up to her left shoulder. She tightened the burgundy arm guards to her forearms and the black greaves to her shins. The material had a soft fabric like feel to them , but when she rapped her knuckles against the face of the material it had turned into a solid surface.

 _Now for the piece de resistance._ She thought to herself.

The metal mask made her shiver as she placed it over her face. The eye pieces gave her icy eyes a steel like effect to them. She rose to her feet brushing the dust off of the cotton material. She looked to the unclothed body in front of her. The body was mangled with bits of metal in the appendages and sinews of muscle. The body was too mangled to tell the gender of the acolyte. She shrugged and dragged the body to the darkest of shadows in the alley. She jogged to the exit and walked slowly back to the guard's post in front of the door. She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back against the wall, her icy eyes watching the street in front of her. It wasn't long until the wooden door, swung open, revealing a similarly dressed acolyte.

They nodded at her as she pushed off the wall, with a heavy sigh. She felt their hand clap against her shoulder, and a mechanical chortle escape from the acolyte.

"Get yourself some rest, young one." Came the chilling voice. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end, as the sound of hextech and metal reached her ear. She nodded slowly and watched as the new guard took up position against the wall. She pushed through the entrance, her heart pounding a hundred times a minute,as she effortlessly got into the laboratory building. She meandered along the hallways, trying to find the entrance to the stairway, that led to the underground lab. There she could find clues, or maybe even find her brother.

She swallowed hard as her thoughts went to Elric being strapped to a table, with scientists huddled around him and beginning his machine like transformation. Or he could just be another lifeless body.

Both of those thoughts made her shiver involuntarily. She took a left into another hallway, and came face to face with a group of acolytes.

"Ah perfect," The leader of the bunch grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her behind them. "We need another hand with one of the prisoners. It's time for his evolution."

She followed the acolytes, letting them lead her. In her mind she mapped out the pathway, trying to keep a good memory so she could escape easily. She had found that she was very close to the stairway. Her eyes caught the dents of concrete and scorch marks from the past mission along the walls. She gave a small smile from the inside of her mask.

They pushed through the final door, entering in the dark space. The damp smell hit Dakota's nose instantly. She held back the urge to cough out the possible mold spores going into her airway. They marched along the dimly lit hall, where massive metal doors lined the stone walls. At the very end of the hall was the green tinted laboratory. That would be her ticket.

The acolytes stopped at one of the massive metal doors. One of them grabbed the latch and with excessive force threw the door open.

One of the acolytes pulled out a hexlamp and shone it over the faces of the two prisoners as all of the acolytes entered into the damp cell. Dakota's heart stopped when she saw a head of blonde hair. Sapphire eyes looked dazedly at the acolytes around him.

She watched as one crouched low to him, a syringe held in their mechanical arm. "Your evolution begins today, young man!" The mechanical voice chuckled. "You will become more powerful. Try not to resist."

Dakota's fingers reached at her belt, as the acolyte dug the syringe into Elric's neck. With a flash of speed, she deployed one of the hextech bugs, giving a shrill whistle that made it explode into light. She turned to the door keeping her eyes closed from the blinding light, and closed it to prevent any of the acolytes from escaping. She grabbed at the combat knife at her belt, and lunged for the closest acolyte, plunging the knife into their abdomen, which was thankfully not yet mechanised. She dragged the knife up in a swift motion, gutting the acolyte. She dodged a kick from another, and attacked in response cutting the neck of the kicking follower. They fell to their knees.

Her next target ran full tilt at her. She got low, bending her knees to gather enough balance as the acolyte tried to ram into her. She grabbed at their shoulders using their momentum against them, swinging them to their oncoming ally. The two acolytes collided into the far wall. Dakota lunged forward. She grabbed the first acolyte by the throat and plunged the knife into the thigh of the other. She ducked out of the way from a strike and gave a swift uppercut to the stabbed acolyte's jaw. She turned her attention to the one with her hand wrapped around their neck. It was squishy still, nothing metallic or hard. She ripped the knife from the other acolyte's thigh, and plunged the knife into the jugular of the one she had been holding. Then with quick succession she tackled the other acolyte's to the ground. She straddled their waist and placed her knee into the acolyte's neck. She buried the knife into the eye hole of the mask, cutting into the brain matter behind the acolyte's eye.

She got up quickly rushing over to her brother. She knelt to him placing her bloodied hands to his cheeks. He blinked at her trying to recognize who might have saved him, but whatever they had put into him, gave him bleary eyes. He watched as the acolyte removed the metal mask revealing the face of his sister.

"Dakota?" He asked surprisingly. "What the hell are you doing here?" His voice was getting super groggy as the sedative coursed through his veins.

"Your girlfriend here, is saving your ass."

The voice made Dakota spin on her heels. Her knife was drawn and ready to kill whoever had sneaked up on her. The source of the voice gave an appreciative wolf whistle as the prisoner got a better look at the acolyte killer.

"She's cute too." A wry grin spread through full lips.

"She's my sister, you slime." Elric's voice broke at the last syllable as his voice got groggier and groggier with sleep.

"Yeah, yeah, Blondie." The girl snorted. She was chained heavily to the wall. She was shirtless, and the only thing covering her abdomen was a blue sports bra. She had a slim figure, but had lean muscle surrounding her body. The girl's hair was tied into a messy ponytail, with strands of her lavender hair plastered to her neck with sweat. Her legs were covered in a pair of loose fitting green scrubs, that clung to her angular hip bones. She was close to Dakota's height, but she was at least an inch and a half shorter than the Piltovian soldier. "You two don't even look alike."

"He's not lying." Dakota sighed as she crouched back to her sleeping brother. Without so much as a warning, her open palm connected to Elric's jaw, making a wicked slap echo in the cell. Elric's eyes jumped open in minor panic.

"Ow, what the fuck, Dakota?" Elric complained sleepily.

"I need you to stay awake, El." She muttered as she grabbed at the two other hextech bugs on her belt.

"And a cute accent too."

"Stop flirting with her," Elric called out grumpily as he pouted his lips.

Dakota rolled her eyes at the banter and gave out low whistles of command, making the hextech bugs whirr and click in response. They flew over to the shackles by Elric's wrists and began using the custom made lasers to cut at the metal. Dakota smiled in pride. It had taken her two months to perfect the coding, wiring, crystal energy coefficients and metal crafting to get her bugs to perform the way they do. Now if only she could get a tracking mechanism to...

She couldn't ponder about this now. She has to rescue her brother first.

Dakota got her brother to his feet. She ducked under his arm, trying to support him from falling back down. Dakota growled with frustration. If only she had been a second faster she could have stopped them from administering the sedative. This was going to be impossible to escape, especially if they had to fight their way out.

She placed Elric back on the cold cell floor and strode over to the chained girl. She was inches away from her face. Ice blue and emerald green held contact.

"Will you help us escape, if I let you free?"

The girl gave a devilish sideways grin. "Didn't anyone tell you not to trust anyone."

Dakota snorted and gave out a harsh whistle. Her bugs flew over and set to work at the chains and cuffs.

"I will promise you safe passage to wherever you call home. I have a hexmobile waiting outside. So if you want to escape, you have to help us." Dakota warned.

The girl chuckled. "Sure thing. I'll accept those terms."

"Good," Dakota nodded as her bugs did the final cut releasing the girl from the wall. Dakota helped catch the girl before she could fall to the cold floor. She noticed the black numerals tattooed to the girl's shoulder, depicting which unit she belonged to. Dakota had seen many tattoos like these on the battlefields between the Noxians and Demacians. "You're Noxian." Dakota stated evenly helping the girl get to her feet.

The girl looked up sharply, her emerald eyes cutting into Dakota's wintery eyes. "Is that a problem?" She asked with bared teeth, her fists clenched and prepared to fight.

Dakota gave a gentle laugh. "Nope, just means I can rely on your strength to carry my brother while I fight."

The girl was taken aback. Not many react to Noxians lightly.

"Illya." She blurted out.

"Hmm?"

"My name's Illya."

Dakota gave a small smile. "Dakota." She resisted the urge to shake the Noxian's hand. She strode over to her brother's side and hefted him up from his shoulders. "Now if you wouldn't mind, my lug of a brother needs to be carried out of here."

Illya chuckled and strode over a little unsteadily to the blonde man. "C'mon Blondie, time to get ya home!"

(while Dakota is busting Illya and Elric from Viktor's lab)

A knock on the door caught her ears. She gently placed the book down by the coffee table, careful not to spill the warm tea in a nearby purple mug. She brought herself up off the leather armchair. She had finished work early and to the stubborn request of a certain enforcer, she was forced to take the rest of the night off, while Vi was out busting criminal skulls.

"Yeah Yeah Cupcake, I'll keep them out of the hospitals." Vi had chuckled, dropping Caitlyn off at their shared apartment. "I'll keep the damage to a minimum, now go inside, make yerself some tea and read that damned book you've been wantin' to read."

Caitlyn shook her head from the not so distant memory. She rushed over to the door, and peered through the porthole, seeing a familiar blonde head peer back through the glass. Caitlyn rolled her eyes and opened the door to the prodigal explorer. "Good evening, Ezreal." She raised a questioning eyebrow to the blonde man. "Why in the void are you knocking on my door two hours before midnight?"

Ezreal gave a sheepish grin and scratched the back of his head. "Needed to talk to ya." He muttered out, looking behind him. "About that girl in your office the other day."

If Caitlyn was a cat, her fur would have bristled. Her icy eyes hardened toward Ezreal, making the explorer shrink. Caitlyn loomed over the explorer.

"And what pray tell do you think you have any business in that matter?" She asked evenly, her lithe hand gripping the knob of the door with white knuckles.

"Curiosity?" He squeaked.

Caitlyn's face fell in an unimpressed expression. She began to close the door, but Ezreal put his foot and the door.

"Wait, Cait." Ezreal grunted, trying to get the sheriff to hear him out. "Hold on, by the void."

Caitlyn rolled her eyes in agitation, and opened the door to let the explorer in.

Ezreal brushed invisible dust off his shirt front and entered into the penthouse apartment. He bent down to pull the laces of his boots and stepped out of the dusty leather. He carefully placed them by the coat rack and went to the kitchen, where Caitlyn was most likely getting a mug of tea ready for him. He sat at the tall island in the center of the kitchen, only a few short meters away from the round kitchen table. He hopped onto one of the tall bar stools and watched Caitlyn's back as she methodically took the screaming kettle and poured the hot water into a forest green mug, his favorite one that she had reminded him of the voodoo forests, on of his new obsessions and he couldb't help himself from continually thinking about them and their undiscovered treasures.

Caitlyn was in a comfy looking long sleeved grey and purple baseball t-shirt, and a pair of dark blue boxers that were most likely Vi's. Ezreal smirked at the thought of the pink haired enforcer and the sheriff's relationship. He loved the two together. They had opposing personalities but you know what they say about opposites.

They always attract.

Caitlyn turned to Ezreal with the mug in hand and passed it over to him. He took a sip a made a sound of content as the warm liquid took the cool edge of fall out of his body. Caitlyn had made the tea in perfection, using the right amount of honey, to take the bitterness out of the Piltovian grey tea.

"Thank you," He murmured happily. He placed the mug down carefully and watched as Cait put both of her hands on the counter and leaned against them for support. "So, who is she to you? A lost sister?" He asked.

Caitlyn looked away from Ezreal. She bit her lip as she thought about the consequences of coming clean to Ezreal. She had never told _anyone_ about Dakota.

Not even Vi.

"No not a lost sister." She had whispered, her fingers clenched the marble counter.

"She looks so much like you," Ezreal stated wonderingly.

Caitlyn snorted. Her anger was starting to get the best of her, she had to control herself. She had to be professional.

"Look, Cait. I'm your friend. Whatever it is, whoever she is, I just want you to know that I will never say anything. I understand that family has it's quarrels, but you know as much as me that curiosity needs to be sated or it drives us nuts." He took another sip of his tea and hummed happily.

"This situation has been kept secret for a very long time Ezreal. If I hear you utter a single word about this to anyone, you will regret it." She warned, her eyes sharpening into icy shards, making Ezreal nod quickly.

Caitlyn took a shaky breath.

"I don't even know how to start." She admitted.

Ezreal watched as Caitlyn scratched the back of her neck, a gesture she had picked up from Vi.

"When I was thirteen, I was attacked by a lower city man, who was mad about the law my father and his fellow statesmen had emplaced on the smuggling rings." She took another shaky breath. "I was found in the alley beside my school, unconscious and unclothed the day after. My parents had urged the authorities to keep the incident quiet. A month later, during a checkup with my family doctor, at the time, we had learned that I had been impregnated." Caitlyn took a second to wipe the tears from her cheeks. She had come to terms with herself about the incident, but she was opening old wounds. She could still remember the way the man smelled, the way he laughed. She shuddered involuntarily.

Ezreal looked to Cait in horror. "Cait, I," He placed a hand on her rubbing his thumb soothingly over the back of her fingers. "I had no idea, you don't need to continue, it's none of my business." He hated himself now. Gods damned curiosity.

Caitlyn's tugged up in a small smile. She wiped the rest of her tears with the back of her hand. "No it's ok, Ezreal, honestly. I haven't gotten the chance to tell Vi yet. Infact you are the first person I have ever told."

Ezreal jumped off the stool and strode over to Caitlyn wrapping his skinny arms around her shoulders and embracing the sheriff.

"She's my daughter, Ezreal." She whispered quietly. "My parents wouldn't allow me to keep her. I understand completely, but I wish things were different. 's wife had just lost their unborn the same day the incident happened. I had convinced my parents that we should discuss with the Sampson's about taking the baby, rather than terminating it. My mother was all for the idea, but my father wanted the baby to be terminated. Thankfully Eli and Sarah accepted our offer, and they raised her. I never got to actually meet her until she was two. Sarah was very lenient in letting me visit and to be there during important times of her life. I'm glad they raised her."

"The Sampson's were always a courteous and kind family. It's a shame that the good Doctor and his wife passed." Ezreal frowned. "They funded the museum and helped out with the charity balls. There needs to be more people like them."

"They live in their children now. You should see their son, Elric. He resembles Eli so much." Caitlyn gave a chuckle. "With looks and his witt. You know he's Eli's son."

"What's her name?" Ezreal asked leaning up against the stove. His lake blue eyes brimming with curiosity.

"Dakota Sampson." She gave a wide prideful smile toward Ezreal, her icy eyes softening with unconditional love.

Ezreal beamed. "Dakota is just a beautiful as you. The resemblance is uncanny."

Ezreal reached for his mug from the island counter and took a quick sip. "I take it she has no idea who her biological family is, does she?"

Caitlyn shook her head. "No, not even a hint."

"Do you plan on telling her?" Ezreal asks.

"Sarah and I have discussed that eighteen would be a key time, to know who she really is."

Ezreal nodded.

"She has your freaky eyes. " He mentioned from behind his mug. Caitlyn glared at him. "Yeah those ones!"

(As Ezreal and Caitlyn are discussing budget cuts)

She was stupid.

She had made a stupid move.

"You're a fucking idiot!" She heard for the thousandth time from the Noxian in the backseat.

"I know!" Dakota barked out angrily, holding her abdomen and applying pressure to the bullet wound. Elric had his fingers pressed onto the wound on her right shoulder with heavy amounts of gauze. Her foot was pressed against the gas pedal, taking the vehicle speeding down the highway out of Zaun province. She growled loudly as Elric tried to take her arm away from the steering wheel. "Do you want us to crash?"

"Do you want to bleed out!" The sedative was finally wearing off, making Elric more alert.

"My shoulder's fine. It's my damn liver that I'm worried about!" She snarled pressing her left hand firmly on the cotton, gauze trying to keep her breathing even, trying not to disturb the bullet farther. Elric's fingers then moved to her abdomen taking the rest of the gauze from the first aid kit he found underneath his seat. He brushed her left hand away, and applied pressure to the wound making her hiss. She swerved out of the way of a vehicle and took the next exit toward Piltover.

"I repeat, you're a fucking idiot!" Illya yelled keeping her eyes behind them making sure they weren't being chased.

"I swear to the gods if you say that one more time I am kicking you out of this speeding car!' Dakota snarled flicking an icy glare to the rearview mirror. "You're lucky I took the fucking shot for you. They were aiming for your head."

"Then you should have left me behind." Illya snarled back.

"I promised you safe passage." Dakota muttered.

"Out of all the callous bullshit I have heard in my life, that really takes the fucking cake."

Dakota faught the urge to turn her head backward to the Noxian and argue further. Her head started to get fuzzy as the loss of extreme amounts of blood was getting to her.

"We need to get you to a hospital, Dakota." Elric whispered calmly as he kept pressure on her abdomen.

"Can't." She mumbled, her vision fading slightly at the edges. "Cait didn...authorize...this." Now she was having trouble with her words she released some pressure off the accelerator. She shook her head to keep herself conscious. She took a right, then a speedy left, as they approached Caitlyn's apartment building. She drove onto the sidewalk leading up to the entrance. She put the hexmobile in park and leaned back against the leather head rest. "Penthouse four, El." She mumbled to her brother. She felt his hand grab hers to place on her abdomen. She heard the passenger door open then close.

"Get out and help me!" She could hear him roar.

The back seat passenger groaned and opened then closed angrily.

She felt the door beside her open. She reached for the keys in the ignition, turning off the car. She ripped the keys out and pocketed them.

Elric's arm went around her shoulder and legs as she carried her out of the car. His eyes swept the perimeter as he stepped back. Illya closed the hexmobile's door firmly and followed Elric as he rushed to the front entrance. His eyes caught the familiar mop of pink hair strutting up to the door.

"Vi!" He barked out as he struggled with Dakota. The sedatives the acolytes gave him, had weakened him slightly.

The pinkette snapped her head to his voice, her face turning pale as she looked to the dying girl in his arms. Vi sprinted forward and grabbed the girl before Elric collapsed. Illya grabbed the back of his shirt, to stop him from falling forward. Illya ducked under Elric's arm and supported him as she followed Vi toward the building.

"Bloody fuck!" Vi yelled as she rushed. "Cait was right, she would go after you. C'mon we gotta get her some medical aid. What happened?" She asked behind her as she pushed through the doors and toward the elevators. She nodded to the pale faced concierge. "Hey Declan. Don't worry everything will be handled, just get the elevator to us please! You didn't see us!" Vi barked as she entered the elevator followed by Illya and Elric.

"We got out of the lab, until this dumbass, high on sedatives screamed a massive fuck you to Viktor. One of the guards at the top of the building was armed with a gun and tried to take me out, while dumbass number two in your arms over there, pushed me out of the way and took a shot to the shoulder and her stomach. Fucking idiot."

Vi raised an eye to the girl. "And who the hell are you?"

Illya grinned. "Wouldn't you like to know."

Illya watched as Dakota raised her head groggily and lifted her middle finger up to Illya. "That's...Illya." Dakota mumbled. With a loud ding, the elevator doors opened revealing the front door to the sheriff's and the enforcer's apartment.

Vi pushed against the door roughly, to have it not budge open. "Damnit Caitlyn! Open the door!" Vi roared through the hard wood oak door.

Vi was surprised to see Ezreal at the entrance. "Move for Valoran's sake, pip squeak, get the kitchen counter clear so I can put her down!" Vi ordered. She pushed into her apartment and watched Ezreal move cutting boards and a tea pot and kettle out of the way. Vi placed Dakota carefully on the marble surface and ventured to the bathroom. She ran into Caitlyn as she turned to get to the small hallway. Caitlyn looked over Vi's shoulder and shrieked. Her icy eyes widened with shock. She cupped her hands over her mouth to smother the scream. Ezreal's head snapped to Caitlyn watching the way she reacted, to finding her daughter shot.

Vi took Caitlyn's shoulder. "Cupcake, you gotta calm down. She's injured and needs you to pull out the bullet. She needs you to have a clear head. Don't let her down. She tipped her chin and kissed her lips to get Caitlyn focused. "I'm getting the kit, get her prepped." Vi ordered with determined violet eyes.

Caitlyn nodded and rolled up the sleeves to her baseball t-shirt and set off toward Dakota. Her lithe hands, moved to the buttons on her left shoulder and began to undo them. She pulled the heavy jacket off of Dakota. She grabbed a tea towel and instantly applied it to her bare abdomen. Dakota's breathing began to pick up, her eyes now opening wide. Shock was starting to kick in. Dakota had lifted her head toward Caitlyn with wide icy eyes. "I got blood on your leather." She mumbled with a frown. "I'm sorry."

Caitlyn looked up to the ceiling trying to hold back the laugh that wanted to erupt out of her throat. Vi then came up behind her and placed the med kit beside Caitlyn. She had done this countless times with Vi after her encounters with jinx. But Vi was Vi, Dakota was, not Vi.

She took a steadying breath. "The emergency sedative I have won't take effect by the time I start to work." Her eyes caught Vi's and Ezreal's. "I need you two to hold her down." The two of them nodded. Vi went to Dakota's feet and pressed her strong hands against her thighs. Ezreal carefully placed his hands along her shoulders, putting his weight against hers. She caught Elric leaning up against the wall watching over them like a hawk. "Elric, I'm glad you're back but I need your assistance." He nodded and strode over. "Hold onto the towel, while I give her the painkiller." His large hands pressed against the cloth on her abdomen.

Caitlyn reached into the med kit grabbing a syringe filled with a liquid. She put a sterile needle into the syringe and flicked the side of the syringe as she applied pressure to the butt of the stopper making the liquid spray out. She grabbed at Dakota's right hands looking for a vein, her lithe fingers trailing the scarred pale arms. She found the right one and stuck the needle in properly, pushing the painkiller into the girl's veins. She pulled the needle out and dug for the pair of long tweezers and clamps then the antiseptic. "Hold her down good. Elric you might want to help Ezreal out, she's probably strong enough to buck out of his hold." Elric nodded. With a deep breath she eyed the group around her. She closed her eyes for a second. "Here we go." She muttered.

She poured the antiseptic right on the wound, making Dakota grunt out, her body going rigid as the liquid burned at the wound. Caitlyn pushed her hands into a pair of gloves. She pressed her hand along her stomach and then placed a finger in the bullet hole to feel what had been penetrated. Dakota hissed angrily, her fists tightening into tight balls. She jerked slightly but kept in place thanks to Ezreal, Vi and Elric.

"I found it. It didn't puncture anything thankfully." She sighed out, making the tension in the room diminish slightly. She pulled her finger out and reached for the clamps. Dakota's eyes drifted and watched as Caitlyn placed them to hold the skin from the hole. She took a deep breath in preparing herself as Caitlyn pushed the tweezers through the hole. She grit her teeth, her jaw muscles tightening. Her arms corded as she felt the first pull of the bullet. She snarled and jerked as Caitlyn began to pull it out.

Dakota's scream turned bloodcurdling as Caitlyn tugged at the stubborn piece. With a final grunt it budge and she was able to pull out.

"Fuck!" Dakota bellowed bucking against the people holding her. "Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck. Fuck, that hurt!" She roared.

Blood followed the bullet out, Caitlyn moved methodically as she pressed gauze to the wound. Her eyes caught Vi's and Vi understood immediately. Vi took her place pressing firmly on the gauze as Caitlyn pulled out a needle and thread. With deft hands she pushed the thread through the eye of the needle. She pushed Vi out of the way went to work sewing up the wound.

Dakota sighed in content. "God I love painkillers." She murmured.

 _Good,_ Caitlyn thought. _They're finally working._

She tied off the final knot, breaking the thread with her teeth. She placed a thick gauze strip along the wound and taped it firmly down. She then moved to her injured shoulder and began to work there following the same steps.

Her attention was captured when Dakota's hands grabbed at her arms. Her pupils dilated from the painkillers hallucinogenic ways. Dakota gasped as she looked up to Caitlyn, a fresh tear falling down her cheeks. "Mom?" Dakota croaked out, making everyone in the room freeze. "I missed you so much." She whispered sadly. Her bottom lip began to tremble as more tears travelled down her cheeks. "Mom, I thought I would never see you again. Did you see El, yet? He's so strong." She blubbered out. A sob ripped through her throat.

Caitlyn furrowed her brows. She looked to Elric, quickly. He was staring at his sister with opened mouth shock.

Caitlyn sighed and brushed her fingers through Dakota's hair. She cupped Dakota's face lovingly, brushing her thumb over her cheek. Dakota's hand held hers in place, her icy eyes watering at the edges. "I'm so proud of the two of you." Caitlyn whispered, her eyes threatening to break into her own tears. "I love you, Dakota." She bent low and placed a small kiss to Dakota's forehead. Dakota sighed in content, her icy eyes closing to the sensation.

"Love you too, mum." She mumbled out as unconsciousness took over her body.

Soon Dakota was lost to sleep and Caitlyn had finished her work at her shoulder. When she was done Vi lifted the girl up and moved her to the guest bedroom.

Elric came up to Caitlyn and embraced the sheriff.

"Thank you." He whispered into her ear. "What you did, I appreciate it. She needed that."

Caitlyn gave a gentle smile. "There was no problem to it, Elric."

Elric nodded. He looked to the Noxian girl who was curled up on the couch, sleeping life away as it seemed.

"We'll talk about it in the morning, Elric." She placed a hand on his large shoulder. "Go get some sleep. There's plenty of room in the guest bed, for you to sleep with your sister."

Elric nodded.

"Thank you."

With that Elric silently entered into the guest bedroom.

Caitlyn looked to her hands and sighed.

She looked up to the ceiling thinking of Sarah Sampson.

"I didn't mean to take your place." She whispered solemnly.

She padded out of the kitchen and into her room, where Vi was sleeping like a bear. She pushed the covers back and sidled up next to Vi, who wrapped her muscular arms around Caitlyn's waist.

Sleep came too quickly bringing dreams of Dakota.


	11. Chapter 11: Bullet Wounds and Wagers

**_A/N- Hey bbs, good to see you guys again. Sorry it's been so long, I've had quite the busy couple of weeks. Leave me some reviews. it helps me a lot to see what you guys think. I'm also thinking about doing a Q/A sometime and next chapter I'm going to start putting my playlists up so you can listen to my musical inspirations per chapter. ALSO ALSO ALSO, Pls pls pls pls pretty pls, go check out GrayHoodie's fan art that she did for the sheriff and the soldier. it's so good and I am hella jealous of her talent to art. art/Fanart-Caitlyn-and-Dakota-567865776 Anyways bbs enjoy the cahpter, it's may be nice and happy now, but just yall wait. *evilly cackles*_**

His amber eyes focused on the report in front of him. He ran a metal hand through his greasy hair. His lab assistant, a small robotic like boy, climbed up his back and peered over his shoulder.

"Father?" The boy called out, his small mechanical voice on the edge of questioning monotone.

"I am your creator, not your father." The machine herald sighed, as his eyes scanned the last line of the report.

 _Six dead. One brutally injured to the point that even a new evolution could not save the soul._

"Why are you in my study, AuG?" The machine herald questioned as he turned his metal neck to Augmented Generation mark one.

"The _Leader_ is here, fath- I mean, Creator." The robot unclasped the machine herald's shoulders as he slid off Viktor's back and planted his metal feet to the gray cement flooring.

Viktor pinched the bridge of his iron face.

 _Of Course_

Viktor rose to his full height from the Noxian spruce stool. He placed a hand on the top of the robot's head, letting his fingers scrape along the polished metal. The bot was only a week old, and it was already learning, faster than his other sentient creations.

Wordlessly, Viktor left his study, with AuG close on his heels. They travelled together silently as they exited the massive building and to the front gates.

Swain waited patiently. His pale knuckles were wrapped around the hilt of the cane in his right hand. On his shoulder stood a four eyed Noxian raven, who clicked curiously to Swain as the machine herald approached. Swain's left hand came up to the raven's feathered head to stroke the magnificent color. The raven's eyes closed to the sensation. It nuzzled it's beak to his scarred face. Swain's grass green eyes never left the machine herald as he neared.

The machine herald offered his metal hand to the Noxian leader.

Swain disregarded the extended hand, making Viktor raise a conscious eyebrow.

"Where is my heir?" Swain questioned flatly.

"Someone released her." He answered through a heavy sigh. "She had retaliated from the evolution phase. We were prepping her for the work. We had found her a potential partner, one who almost matched her power. They were sharing a cell, so they could obtain a two of them would have served well together, if the meddling…"

"Enough!" The Grand General barked, making Viktor instinctively jump. "Where is my heir? That was the question. Not, what happened to my heir?" He seethed, making the raven bristle her feathers and caw loudly. Viktor could feel AuG hiding behind his leg. "Now do not make me repeat myself again. Where is my heir?"

Viktor's steadying amber gaze focused on the steady leader's grass green orbs. "I don't know. Whoever took her must have belonged to whatever faction the other specimen belonged to."

Swain's face twitched in silent rage. "I expected better from you." He spat. "You will find her, and you will bring her to my feet. I will punish her seemingly and get her to return to her treatments. Then, we will begin. If she is not at my feet by the end of the month, I will personally end your glorious evolution. You will be just another nameless body, ripped apart on the Zaunite streets." Swain warned as he turned on his heels.

"Bring her to me!" The grand general called over his shoulder as he melted into the shadows of the outer perimeter of the compound.

Viktor sighed heavily.

"Noxians." He growled angrily to the ground.

(The next morning)

Her icy eyes flicked open as the alarm blared annoyingly through the cold morning air. She was covered up in her grey comforter that went all the way up to the bottom of her nose. Her long raven black hair was fanned out on the pillow she had been laying on. Her small waist was enclosed by long muscular arms. Gears and cogs were painted along the tan skin. Her lithe hands traced along the black ink along her partner's forearms. A small giggle breathed along the back of her neck, as those strong arms pulled her in tighter. Her lips tugged up in a smile as her fingers glided along the goosebumps that rose from her partner's arms.

She loved mornings like this.

"Oh my gods, Cait." Vi giggled out groggily as the sensation travelled along her spine making her squirm. "Stop tickling me or yer gonna regret it."

Caitlyn could hear the devilish smirk plastered on Vi's thin lips. Caitlyn turned herself in the bed so that she was face to face with Vi. Her hands migrated to Vi's waist and with a shit eating grin, she let her fingers drum along Vi's abdomen, making a shriek break from the pinkette.

Vi growled playfully, and used her strength to give her the upper hand as she changed their position. She pinned Caitlyn underneath her and straddled the sheriff's waist.

"Miss, yer under arrest, for stealing my heart." She grinned wryly, making Caitlyn roll her eyes.

"You're so cheesy, you doorknob." She quipped trying to break Vi's iron like grip around her wrists.

"Yes, but I'm yer cheesy doorknob." Vi replied leaning down and plastering small kisses all over the sheriff's cheek and neck. Then Caitlyn's wrists traveled into one of Vi's hands, freeing the other. She wiggled her eyebrows to Caitlyn's unamused face. One of her slim eyebrows was raised in challenge as she watched the pinkette's smile grow wider and wider. Caitlyn could feel Vi placing more weight on her waist. Her icy eyes widened as she realised that Vi was preparing to hold Caitlyn down.

"Ya look scared, Cupcake." Vi purred menacingly.

Vi's hand went straight to her left side. Her calloused fingers stroked the sensitive skin, making Caitlyn burst out in a giggle fit.

Vi laughed manically.

Caitlyn tried to bring her legs up protectively to get into a ball, but to no avail, she was unable to move, with her girlfriend pinning her to the massive bed.

"Vi!" She screeched out through another giggle fit. "Stop! Oh my gods!" Tears streamed through her eyes as her laughter rang through the white walled room. She squirmed under Vi, who tickled the sheriff mercilessly.

Vi gave a gentle chortle as she ended her tirade.

"Did ya regret it yet?" She asked lovingly. Her violet eyes beaming to Caitlyn's ice blue hues.

Caitlyn rolled her eyes and pushed the enforcer off of her person. She wrapped her arms around Vi's neck and gently pressed a feather light kiss on Vi's grinning lips, making the enforcer hum happily. She felt Vi's arms wrap around her waist and pull her up on to her body. Vi parted her lips, turning the chaste peck into something more passionate. Caitlyn's fingers pushed through Vi's pink locks. Her right hand tugging at the longer mane, while her left scraped along the shorter side.

Caitlyn broke the kiss and placed her forehead to Vi's. Both their eyes closed in content. A faint blush appeared on both their cheeks, as they controlled their rapid breathing.

 _After all these years she still makes me breathless,_ Caitlyn thought.

"I love ya, Cupcake." Vi whispered as she pressed her lips to Caitlyn's small nose.

Caitlyn beamed and nuzzled into Vi's neck.

"I love you too, Vi." Caitlyn pulled away from Vi as she turned and stood up from the bed, making Vi frown. Caitlyn chuckled. "It's sunday our only day off and we have guests, Vi. You know what that means?"

Vi's frown burst into an adorable child-in-a-candy-store smile. "Pancakes!"

"Go have a shower and I'll start making breakfast."

Vi threw the massive comforter off herself and launched off the bed in an excited movement. She sprinted out of their bedroom flinging open the door and speeding into the bathroom.

Icy eyes rolled in amusement.

Caitlyn reached behind her and placed her long raven black hair in a pony tail. She grabbed her bathrobe and wrapped it around herself as she left her bedroom closing the heavy oak door.

She padded toward the guest room and opened the door a crack. Elric looked like he was hogging the sheets, as the white duvet was wrapped around his body. His massive form was trying to take up as little room as possible as his sister took over the rest of the bed. Dakota was sprawled over her brother. Her left leg was hanging over the edge of bed while her right leg was bent up to her chest. Her shoulder length hair was in a messy array against the pillow. Her long arms were folded underneath her head. Caitlyn inspected the long scars that lined her toned back muscles.

 _How in the void did she get those?_ Caitlyn wondered.

She watched as Dakota stirred from her sleep. She watched as she pulled her arms out from under her. She rolled onto her back and sighed heavily. She heard a quiet 'ow'.

Caitlyn quietly closed the door. She turned on her heels and padded down the short hallway. She passed by the bathroom hearing Vi sing out from the shower. Her lips turned in a smile. Vi actually had a nice voice, but she would never admit to it.

Caitlyn turned her head to the living room, seeing the unknown girl curled up on her tweed sofa. She was curled into a ball, fighting off the cold. She was not like Dakota or Abbie. She was smaller, with slight shoulders. Her arms were long but not like the gangly limbs that Dakota had. Her knobby knees were pulled up to her chest. Fresh lines of scarring and cuts were lined all over her pale skin. On her left shoulder, an ancient Noxian number was etched in black ink. Through her studies of the ancient language, she believed that it was the equivalent to one hundred.

 _Was this girl a soldier?_ She curiosily thought.

The girl's lilac bangs fell in front of her face, hiding her angular face and full lips.

She would question this girl later, but first, she had to feed her hungry enforcer and soldiers.

She entered into her kitchen and went to a set of cupboards and pulled out the ingredients needed. She reached underneath the counter and gathered her baking bowls. She went over to the sink and washed her hands through the warm stream, letting the soap bubble up in her lithe hands.

She turned back to her bowls and started the mixture. She heard the bathroom door open followed by the sound of Vi padding out to the kitchen. She felt the slap on her behind before she heard it.

She jumped and turned her body to Vi, glaring daggers at the grinning enforcer. "Vi," Caitlyn said flatly.

"Yes, Cupcake?" Vi asked nonchalantly, going over to the coffee pot placed beside the fridge. She grabbed the ground coffee beans and placed them in a filter. She turned on the coffee maker and waited patiently. She leaned her muscular form against the granite counter and crossed her arms over her chest.

Caitlyn rolled her eyes and went back to her work making Vi snort. Vi took the two steps to close the gap between them. She rested her head on her shoulder and wrapped her arms around Caitlyn's waist.

Caitlyn chuckled as Vi's breath made the hair on her neck stand on end. She turned to face Vi, and pushed the mixing bowl in her arms.

"Do you mind mixing that, love?" She reached up and kissed Vi's tattooed cheek. "I know you have the muscles for that."

Vi's grin was wolf like as she flexed her bicep. "Ma'am I'm gonna have to ask ya to step back. These guns are dangerous." With that Vi went to work, taking the wooden spoon and mixing the batter with the tip of her tongue poking out from the side of her lips.

Caitlyn went to the kettle flipping it on and then reached underneath her stove and retrieved a large frying pan. She turned her gaze to the small kitchen radio and let her lithe hand tune into the city's local station.

Music filled the room, with techno beats from one of Sona's newest adventures in music.

Caitlyn watched as Vi moved her body to the beat, bobbing her head and shaking her hips as she twirled around the kitchen. She continued her mixing, and sang along to the tune.

Caitlyn smiled and turned her attention to the stove and plopped butter into the frying pan, letting it melt.

"Alright Vi, that's enough mixing, you'll mess up that batter, love." Caitlyn extended her hand taking the mixing bowl from her partner's hand, and poured the batter into the hot pan.

Dakota limped into the kitchen sleepily. She pushed her calloused hands through her bangs, as she yawned. She held her right shoulder protectively as it hung loosely, from the damaged muscle. She rubbed at her eyes and moved over to one of the island chairs. She slid onto one of the bar stools and rested her left elbow on the counter. She put her chin in her hand and looked up to Vi's grinning face.

"Welcome to the land of the living, Kiddo." Vi reached across from the counter and mused Dakota's hair. The teenager gave the enforcer a sideways smile and began to fix the messy array. "What's your poison? Tea or coffee?"

"Tea please." Dakota said politely. Caitlyn smiled at that new found fact. "With just a splash of milk."

"Just like cupcake," Vi chuckled and reached for the screaming kettle. She pulled out a black mug and tossed a tea bag into the ceramic. She poured the steaming water and stirred the bag through the hot liquid.

Dakota watched the enforcer intently. Her eyes then travelled to the sheriff's back. She had always admired the sheriff. She was full of beauty, grace and power; a dangerous combination and the best kind of ally. When Dakota was younger and in school, she used to brag to her friends about how she knew the sheriff. She would tell them that when she was a grown up she would fight alongside the sheriff and take her place when it was time to retire. Now, she doesn't think she can fill shoes as big as the sheriff's. Caitlyn will forever be the best sheriff, Piltover would ever see in it's existence.

And truth be told, Dakota wasn't sure if she was sheriff material. Maybe in a different world, but in this one, she was meant to be a soldier and maybe even a technician when they tell her she has done her service.

That's if she survives that long.

Vi placed the mug, with the perfect milk colouration, in front of Dakota. She took it graciously and slurped at the hot beverage. She hummed happily as it warmed her. Elric then lazily entered into the kitchen. He grabbed the seat next to Dakota. He playfully nudged her with his shoulder.

"How are you feeling?" He asked. He slid off the seat and moved to Dakota's right side and inspected the bandaging on her abdomen.

"Good, tired and hungry, but good." She winced as he placed his hands around the tender area on her bare stomach.

"The bruising is already turning nasty." Elric mumbled as he prodded further. He carefully pulled the gauze and medical tape back inspecting the stitches. "The bleeding has significantly slowed and it is a little swollen, but all looks good for now. I'll go get a fresh bandage and we'll clean it."

Dakota nodded and went back to sipping at her tea.

"Sheriff, where can I find the medical aid kit?" Elric asked before leaving the kitchen.

"It should be on the top shelf of the medicine cabinet." She replied flipping another set of pancakes onto a plate.

Elric took off and reappeared with the red box and placed it on top of the black granite countertop. He kneeled and set to work on his sister. He ripped the bandage off fast, making Dakota make a noise of sharp complaint. She jerked and glared at her brother.

He grinned sheepishly. He took a gauze pad and soaked it in antiseptic. He pressed the burning liquid onto the raw wound making Dakota hiss out. "Watch it, Elric." She snapped through bared teeth. He rolled his eyes and ignored his sister.

"Stop being such a baby." A groggy voice blurted out.

Dakota snapped her head to Illya's leaning body. Dakota snorted and hissed again as Elric sopped the wound, causing the raw wound to burn. Illya rolled her emerald eyes and sauntered over to Elric's seat. She hopped up and sat beside Dakota. Elric glared at the girl who swiped his stool. She winked at him, making Dakota chuckle.

Caitlyn placed the plate full of pancakes in front of the young adults.

Dakota's mouth watered instantly. "Are those chocolate chips?" She asked heavily, her stomach growling in heady response. Elric gave a throaty laugh. He placed the bandage and did quick work to her shoulder. He sat at the stool on Dakota's right after he placed the medkit on the small table beside them.

"Yes they are." Caitlyn smiled and passed ceramic plates around the counter. Vi stood beside her passing a purple mug to her partner and reached for the first pancakes to have her hand slapped away by Caitlyn. The pinkette frowned and muttered something about life not being fair. She took a long sip at her coffee. Caitlyn rolled her icy eyes and playfully pinched Vi's hip.

Dakota, Illya and Elric looked at the piled plate like wolves looking at a juicy steak. Caitlyn smirked at their politeness. "Go on then, you don't need me ordering you to eat. Fill your proverbial boots, as they say."

Caitlyn didn't need to say it twice.

It was a mad grab.

Vi didn't hold herself back either as she attacked the plate. Soon the room was quiet of chatter and loud with the sounds of eating. Forks clattered and drinks were poured out to help swallow the glorious food. Elric and Illya's cheeks were stuffed with sustenance. Groans of pleasure escaped the two escapees as they chowed down happily at the pancakes. Caitlyn observed as Dakota took small bites, using her left hand to make cuts with her fork. She didn't seem awkward with her left hand, but there were times when Caitlyn had seen Dakota writing with her right hand.

 _Is Dakota ambidextrous?_ Caitlyn wondered.

"These are delicious." Dakota mumbled as she closed her eyes to the taste. "I haven't had food this good since I was a kid. Thanks sheriff."

"It's no problem. I'm glad I could give you all some sort of sustenance. " She quipped.

"Listen lady," Illya pointed her fork to Caitlyn, her mouth full of half chewed food. "I think I'm gonna kidnap you and make you be my pancake making slave."

Vi raised a challenging eyebrow to the young girl. "Nu uh. No way. She's my pancake makin' slave."

Caitlyn's brow furrowed. "Is that all I am to you?" She asked in fake shock.

Vi gave a considerate thought, pursing her lips. "You make hella good cupcakes, Cupcake."

Caitlyn rolled her eyes and went back to finishing her breakfast.

A speedy knock on her apartment door caught her attention. She dropped her fork and padded toward the doorway.

She twisted her wrist and turned the doorknob. She opened the door and was pushed aside by Abbie. Her fiery hair, matched her temperament today. It was wild, in disarray and attention seeking. Her chocolate eyes were alight with determination and fury. Behind her was Alex and Matais. They followed silently keeping their heads down as Abbie crossed her arms and glowered at the sheriff.

"Alright it's been way past twenty four hours since El's been missing. Dakota is nowhere to be found. Go fill out that damned report, so that we can go out and find her before she gets herself hurt. The last thing I need, is finding her dead in a ditch. It's bad enough that I have no clue what happened to Elric. For all I know he's probably drinking margaritas with that mad scientist. So get the shit in gear so I can get my unit ba-" Abbie stuttered as her eyes caught Dakota leaning up against the side of the kitchen entryway. Her left arm crossing over to her right shoulder, protectively holding the wound.

Abbie's eyes threatened the darkest will toward Dakota. Her wrapped fists turned into white knuckles. Dakota gave a cocky smirk and looked behind Abbie toward Alex. He tipped his chin to Dakota, giving an equally cock sure grin toward her. Matais pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed heavily.

She returned her cold gaze back to Abbie. "Do you mind?" She asked icily toward the red head. "We were having a nice breakfast."

"Do I mind?" Abbie asked incredulously. "We thought you left us. We thought you went off and got yourself killed, Dakota. Did you know we had been out looking for you? How could you scare us like that? "

"You're half right." Dakota mumbled out."I did leave you guys. My brother was left behind and I had to go rescue him. You were too much of a coward to do anything."

Abbie whirled on Dakota. Her fist connected into the teenager's jaw, making her fall back. Abbie was quick to tackle her to the hardwood floor. Dakota hissed out in pain, as Abbie gained control of their position. She flipped Dakota onto her stomach and grabbed at her right arm, pulling back the limb. Dakota roared out angrily and kicked at the red head furiously. Dakota felt Abbie's weight disappear. Elric had Abbie pinned to the wall, his eyes glaring daggers at the woman trapped against the wall and his hands.

Her eyes prickled with tears as her eyes took in Elric's form. Her lower lip trembled as she wrapped her tawny arms around his neck. She sobbed into his shoulder, pressing her fingers through his short blonde hair. "I thought I lost you." She wailed. Elric rubbed his massive palms against her back, his anger fading as he closed his sapphire eyes and breathed in Abbie's ashy and rose like scent.

Vi helped Dakota up. She prodded at Dakota's heavily bleeding bandage on her shoulder. "I think she ripped out some of the stitches."Dakota mumbled out grumpily. She pulled back the fresh gauze and sighed heavily as blood trickled down her bare collarbone. "Fuck, Abbie." Dakota growled as she inspected the torn out thread. Matais came up to her and led her to the kitchen.

"Let me take a look at this." His low voice whispered, pulling Dakota into the kitchen. His eyes caught the medkit at the small table and he began to rummage through it. Alex had followed the two into the large kitchen and leaned his long body against the black granite counter. He viewed the smaller girl still sitting on one of the tall bar stools. Illya paid no mind to the orange haired boy, who gave a wicked grin in her direction.

"Not worth it, Alex." Dakota snorted to the older boy.

Alex chuckled and placed his hands flat on the island. He leaned in toward Illya with a gentle smile. "And who the hell are you?"

Illya didn't even acknowledge him. She grabbed at her glass of orange juice and took a long sip, before she continued onto her stack of pancakes.

Alex's eyebrows furrowed. His gentle smile faded into a frown. Dakota watched as he passed a hand through the short red stubble of his jaw. He cleared his throat and opened his mouth to speak, when Illya interrupted him.

"Look Buddy, I haven't eaten in days. These gods damned pancakes are the best pancakes I've had in my life." She swallowed and locked her emerald eyes with his mud brown eyes. "Your face makes me sick. So get out of my line of sight, because I will be super pissed if you make me throw this up."

Alex was taken aback. He shook his head angrily and strode out of the kitchen.

Dakota gave a bubble of laughter.

"Stop moving," Matais growled. He finished with the final stitch, cutting the thread with a pair of scissors. He then rubbed his hands together, allowing a blue glowing light to appear on his hands. "This will help with the healing."

Dakota looked warily at Matais's hands. She had always been nervous about magic. She looked up at him with squinted eyes. The twenty-two year old rolled his grass green eyes and placed his hands lightly on the bullet wound, making a cooling sensation wash over the cleanly stitched skin.

Dakota sighed and let her eyes close at the wonderful feeling. Matais gave a bright smile and mused Dakota's black locks.

"See, not that bad." He chuckled. His eyes went over her abdomen looking at the gauze bandage on her right side. He looked at her worryingly, and she gave a small sideways smile in response.

Illya watched the interaction between the two soldiers. There was an unbreakable bond between the two individuals. The young man seemed to have calmed the electric and angry energy that usually jumped around inside Dakota. Elric and Dakota's bond, was a protective, jovial and unconditional love kind of bond, where trust, honesty and immaturity was the driving point of their interactions. The young man in all senses seemed to be like a second older brother, one that Dakota could trust and get the best advice and one that taught her to be mature and grounded. The brother that would sit beside her and walk her through the steps on how to to do her taxes. Her eyes travelled to the entrance of the kitchen where Elric leaned up against the doorway. He was pinching the bridge of his nose as raised voices echoed from the livingroom.

Dakota's eyes wandered warily toward the sound of those voices. She winced as she heard her name being mentioned in the screaming match between what sounded like Abbie and Caitlyn's voices. A moment later she heard the door to the apartment get slammed shut.

" Dakota, you'll be staying here to get some rest."Elric's eyes travelled to Illya. "You're coming with us to be questioned. The sheriff wants to get some answers and she feels you would be the perfect one to give them to us."

Illya chuckled. "Sure, ya whatever." She slid off the stool and came up beside Elric. "I could go for a trip." She looked to herself, and grinned. "Will I get to be half naked the whole time?"

Elric raised an amused eyebrow. "No," He chuckled. "We'll be getting you some standard clothing, until we figure out what the hell to do with you."

Illya smirked. "Oh boy, my fashion sense is going to be killer. Watch out Piltover, here comes the new fashion trend."

Elric rolled his eyes and stepped away from the kitchen threshold letting Matais and Illya lead him to the exit of the Sheriff's apartment.

Caitlyn had appeared from her bedroom fully dressed in her infamous purple dress. She wrapped herself in a warm looking coat and reached for the top hat that hung from a stand. She strode over to Vi and went to her tiptoes and placed her lips hurriedly on Vi's tattooed cheek. "You two stay out of trouble." She called behind her back as she turned to leave. Her voice still lined with resonanting anger. Abbie had struck a chord with whatever argument they had.

Dakota hobbled next to Vi. Vi wrapped a tattooed arm around Dakota's neck and uninjured shoulder, pulling her under Vi's chin. "We'll try, Cupcake."

(1 hour Later)

The office space she was in was a comfortably cramped space. Two desks, one facing the doorway, another placed in the far corner, took up most of the room. Multiple book shelves lined the burgundy walls, filled with books on law enforcement and bylaws. A massive bay window was open to the view of the upper city in it's autumn beauty. Trees had begun their colour change and some fluttered amongst the breeze.

Illya cupped her hands behind her head and leaned back in the comfy chair in front of Caitlyn's desk. She was in a long sleeved cotton shirt. The dark grey brought out the lighter greens in her eyes. She had her pale lilac hair tied back in a loose ponytail, her bangs were swept to the sides. She pushed a loose strand of hair behind her ears.

Caitlyn grabbed a pad of paper and her quill. Her icy eyes studied the teenager in front of her. There was an air of arrogance that drove the sheriff mad. This girl held all of the answers to Viktor and what he is planning, and she knew that.

The smug smile on the girl's thin lips tugged up even more as the sheriff observed.

"Let's start with your name." Caitlyn began as she kept a careful eye in the girl's movements, trying to find a nervous twitch, or an indication that she was a liar.

"Illya Ritcher." The girl answered nonchalantly.

She was smooth and relaxed. Her smug smile turning into a devilish smirk. Her emerald eyes focused on the sheriff's soft features. "And you're the infamous Caitlyn Deramore, the Piltover Sheriff. Nice to meet a decent League champion for once."

Caitlyn's wrist turned with each letter she was scratching out on the pad. "Where are you from, Illya?"

"Straight to business, I guess. Fine we'll start off with the gruesome stuff, shall we?" She asked through a dark chuckle."I'm from the slums of Noxus city proper. My parents were traitors to the empire and were executed in front of me. I was left in the slums to fend for myself. I had lived off of the fighting rings and thievery. By the time I was fourteen they allowed me to join the military after I proved myself to the high commanders and killed one of their prized veterans."

Caitlyn nodded, writing the new found information down, showing no emotion."Why were you in Viktor's lab?"

Illya raised an annoyed eyebrow as she raised no reaction from the sheriff. Two could play at that game.

"They called me the 'perfect specimen'. I had just returned from a tour along the Shuriman borders. My unit was placed there to watch Demacian trade routes. My comrades and I were ambushed through one of our patrols, they killed all of my comrades and captured me. They had tied me up and left me outside their camp with one guard watching over me. I escaped and killed most of them in their sleep. After, I gathered information and reported back to a Noxian outpost ten kilometers away. They told me I was the pinnacle of strength, that I made Noxus proud. They told me I could improve myself and I agreed. I had no idea that they wanted to turn me into something… not human. I fought and retaliated. I killed a few of them, but they weren't going to let me go. Until, Dakota showed up."

Caitlyn continued her elegant cursive her eyes focused on the ink trails. "What had they done to you?" Caitlyn's eyes locked with Illyas.

Illya gave another calm smirk. She rolled back the sleeve of her left arm showing a pink and gnarly scar. It was a circular incision that looked like it had gotten infected. She reached for Caitlyn's letter opener and wiggled her eyebrows. She dug the tip into her skin, keeping steady eye contact with the sheriff. Caitlyn kept her eyes just as steady, understanding that this was an act of power. Caitlyn was not falling for it, and kept emotionless as the girl's blood spilled to her dark gray carpet.

She watched as green runes glowed along her skin. Her emerald eyes swallowed by green light. The new incision closed and healed, leaving a jagged scar. The green light faded back into her pale skin. Her full lips twitched into a wicked smirk. "To tell ya the truth, I have no idea what they did to me." She crossed her slim arms over her chest. "But whatever they did, it's made me stronger." She leaned back into the comfy chair.

Caitlyn carefully placed the quill down. She took a large breath and fixated her observant icy gaze toward the lilac haired teenager. "What do you think we should do with you?" She asked finally, crossing her pale arms over her chest.

"That's a good question, sheriff." Illya leaned forward, placing herself on the edge of her seat. "What should you do with me?"

(While the Sheriff and Illya are discussing)

Vi gave a wolf whistle as Dakota entered into the living room from the bathroom. Steam followed behind her. She was sporting one of Vi's tank tops and a pair of jeans, that were just a smidge too big for the fifteen year old. Dakota posed and did a small twirl to give Vi a better view. Her shoulder length hair was pulled up into a wet ponytail.

"Looking good, kiddo." Vi strode over and playfully hip checked the teenager. Dakota winced, but gave a sideways smile as she followed Vi into her workshop. Dakota hopped on the stool beside Vi and watched the pinkette crack her knuckles and pull out the soldering iron. She hunched herself over her gauntlets and began her quick repairs.

Dakota watched Vi intently as the pinkette placed the metal droplets along wiring systems. Dakota's calloused fingers glided along the hextech pieces. Her observant eyes followed the gear paths and pistons. She cocked her head at the pneumatic systems at the metal fingers.

Vi looked up from her soldering job and grinned wickedly.

"Ya like my work?" Vi asked, turning her eyes back to the wiring system in her gloves.

"Yeah," Dakota answered in awe as she inspected the metal joints. "It's incredible. I've heard so many stories about them. It's crazy that I'm this close to them. Every Hextech nerd dreams about these you know."

Vi gawffed. "You and Cait are the only ones I have allowed to come near 'em. The only way people get close to 'em is if I punch 'em. Mind passing me that delta screw driver."

Dakota nodded and reached over to the tool box, producing a triangle tipped screwdriver. She passed it over to Vi, who went to work instantly.

"So what are you doing to them now?" Dakota asked curiously, peering over Vi's shoulder.

"I'm calibrating. Gotta keep the babies in shape, or I'll have too much power. Don't wanna blow anyone up when I just wanna maim 'em." She chuckled darkly.

"When you are done, could I try them?"

Vi slowly turned her head to Dakota. Her violet eyes glaring deep into the teenager's soul. "You wanna do what now?"

Dakota's icy eyes widened and she put her hands up defensively. "I'm just curious. I just want to see what it's like." She sputtered out.

Vi stood up from the stool. Her violet eyes slitted. She pushed her face into Dakota's personal space, making the teenager lean back. "I don't think ya got the balls to handle my babies." She grinned menacingly.

Dakota's face changed from 'oh shit' to 'bring it on' as the challenge rose between the two brawlers. "Want to make a wager?"

Vi's lips curled. "If you can punch a wall down, I will let you use them whenever the hell ya want, kid. If you can't you have to be my assistant."

Dakota raised an eyebrow at Vi. "An assistant? Really?"

Vi pointed out an oiled finger. "Hey, all the best hextechers got 'em, so I need one."

Dakota barked out a laugh. She grabbed at the oil cannister and placed some of the grease in her palm and passed it to Vi. The oil and grease pooled in Vi's hand as she tipped the cannister to the calloused skin. Dakota extended her hand with a grin. Vi gave a bellow of a laugh and clasped their greased hands together.

"Deal. I'm going to blow up a wall,Vi and you're going to be so pissed."

"Yeah, yeah keep talking, kid. Yer injured and yer punches feel like butterflies. Yer gonna break yer arms." Vi snorted.

(30 minutes later)

Jayce was having a good day. He had finished a lot of work, tweaked some of his inventions and even got some target practice and hammer training done. So he should have known his luck would come to an end when Vi knocked on his door with her metal gauntlets armed and ready.

"Hey hammerboi. You gotta a wall that I can use, so I can win a bet?" She questioned as she pushed past him and his doorway. Behind her was a tall teenager who grinned sheepishly.

"I'm sorry." The girl uttered. "This is all my doing. I had no idea she was going to drag you into this."

Jayce sighed heavily and stepped to the side, inviting the teenager in. "I'm starting to get used to it. She's done this before." He looked at the girl questioningly. "Sorry, but who are you?"

The girl produced her hand. "Master Corporal Dakota Sampson. I'm with Piltover Company. I'm in the fifty-first."

Jayce looked at the girl with open mouthed shock. "How old are you?"

"I'm going to be sixteen in two days." Dakota admitted.

"Wow, that's quite a title for someone as young as yourself. It's good to see the youth taking initiative."

Dakota raised an eyebrow at the Defender of Tomorrow.

"Ha perfect, get over here, kid. I found the perfect wall." Vi crooned.

Dakota palmed her face and gave another look of regret toward Jayce.

Jayce followed behind the girl as curiosity struck his inventor's mind.

Vi disengaged her gauntlets and stepped away from them. She flaunted her hands toward the giant metal fists. "C'mon kid, days a wasting. I got some work i need to do and an assistant to help me."

Jayce watched in shock as the girl kneeled infront of the gauntlets. She pulled off the borrowed hoodie from Vi, and rolled her shoulders in the black tank top, letting her pale arms stretch. She winced slightly as the pain in her shoulder began to tighten at her muscles. She grit her teeth and placed her shaking hands near the openings of the glove.

"Alright, Kid." Vi began crossing her arms over her leaned up the many experiment tables. Some of them having bubbling concoctions, some having hextech and expensive tools, some barren and lay wasted with dust collecting on the wooden top. "There's a power switch by the thumbs that you gotta flick so they contour around yer wrists. They'll lock on, so don't get freaked out, alright?"

Dakota nodded. Jayce made indecipherable noises. No one touched Vi's gauntlets, let alone wear them. Hell even Caitlyn was only allowed to be near them. One time Jayce had gotten too close and Vi angrily threatened to shove his face in open sewage.

He watched in amazement as the girl took a deep breath and placed her pale hands in the metal goliaths. They hissed and hummed as she flipped the switch. They tightened around her wrists with steam billowing out from the sides. The gears and cogs clicked and whirred, making the metal giants feel alive. Dakota felt the adrenaline rush the instant her hands fit into the leather and metal casing. Her eyes practically glowed with energy.

"They're a lot heavier than they look, so take your time. I don't want you busting your stitches. Yer brother might rip my head off."

Dakota snickered. "My brother thinks I'm resting, what happens here stays quiet." Dakota turned her gaze to Jayce. "Right?"

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah whatever, just don't break anything , for the love of Valoran."

Vi giggled. "Nah, don't worry Jayce she ain't gonna break shit."

Dakota glared at the pinkette. "Shut up, Vi."

Vi gave a short 'Ha' and elbowed Jayce playfully. "Fiesty little thing isn't she?"

Dakota rolled her icy eyes and went back to concentration. The girl grit her teeth and focused on lifting the metal fists. She pressed the muscles in her legs and grunted as she lifted the heavy piece of hextech. Sweat beaded at her forehead as she kept herself upright and the gauntlets from falling to the concrete. Her abdomen screamed in agony as the ripped muscle clenched to help her body fight to hold up the massive weight.

"Holy shit." Vi's cocky grin fell into surprise. "Way to go, kid. I've watched people shit themselves trying to lift these things off of them."

Dakota turned her head and gave a strained smirk. "Yep." She muttered breathlessly. "Easy." Her voice was so strained as her shaking body kept the weight up.

Vi gave a throaty laugh.

Jayce just looked at the girl in pure shock. How had she gotten so close to the enforcer? How did she break barriers that most people wouldn't even dare thinking about? Vi had the personality that people were drawn to and they loved that the most about the pink haired brawler, but when it came to her gauntlets, she was as prickly as a shuriman giant cactus.

"You gonna punch the wall or not?"

Jayce's eyes widened. "What? No, no way Vi. I didn't agree to this."

Vi rolled her eyes and put her palm into his face, shutting out his whining voice. "Shut it power slam. I got an assitant to win. Now punch the damn wall, Dakota!"

Dakota grinned slyly. She turned her body and grunted with the movement, trying not to show pain. With a huff, she whirled her arm back and launched it forward with as much force as she could muster.

The gauntlets slammed into the brick and threw Dakota back into a pile of beakers and lab equipment. Broken glass rained over her head cracked against the dark wood of the lab table. She hissed out at the explosion of pain that burst at the base of her skull.

Vi rushed over in panic. "Holy fuck! Are you okay, Dakota?" She asked kneeling to the girl, who groaned. She helped dust off the glass pieces from Dakota and gave the girl a lift up, who winced. She pulled up the end of the black tank top and swore as she saw the bandage at her abdomen leak with fresh blood.

"Yeah I'm fine. I think I busted my stitches again." Dakota grunted. She turned her head to Vi with a bright smile plastered on her thin lips. Her eyes crinkled in pure joy as she motioned toward the dented wall. "I guess I lose, huh?"

Vi's iconic sideways smile burst out. "Yup. Time for you to remember my coffee order."

Dakota put her head back and gave out a throaty laugh. The enforcer joined in and mused the teenager's raven black hair. She wrapped her arm around the girl's neck and brought her into a nuggie.

Jayce crossed his arms over his chest as he looked angrily at the two brawlers.

"I'm calling Caitlyn." He stated through bared teeth.

He watched as the Dakota's face, currently pressed against Vi's hip, paled in fear. Vi chuckled.

"No ya aren't, Hammerboi. Not unless you want your hammer in pieces at the bottom of Gulch bay." Vi warned.

"Resorting to threats. That's a criminal offense, Vi. You should know better than that."

"Watch your mouth, Jayce. Or those pearly white are gonna get busted out."

Jayce snorted. He strode over to his desk and reached over for his hexcommunicator. "You are going to be in the dog house, Vi."

Vi yanked the communicator from his hands and jumped back and away from Jayce who growled at Vi. She skipped over to where a bunch of chemicals boiled near another work station that thankfully Dakota hadn't hit. She dangled the communicator over the angry liquids.

Jayce's face paled. "Vi, step away from the toxins, they are highly unstable. You can cause an ex-"

He watched as Vi dropped the piece of hextech into the green liquid, making it bubble even more. Jayce launched himself at Vi and tackled the enforcer down. Where VI had just been standing, flames erupted from the beakers. Dakota overlooked the scene with wide eyes and dove to the floor for cover. She wrapped her pale arms around her head and curled up in a protective ball. The lab shook as an explosion rocked the space.

Vi pushed the Defender off her body. The aftermath, produced charred walls and more broken lab equipment. Vi stomped out ashes of lab reports. Jayce rose to his full height and got into the enforcer's face. She raised a bored expression and rolled her eyes at the infuriated Defender.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Just give me an invoice and I'll get the damages covered."

"Oh no, you aren't getting off this easy, Vi." Jayce seethed, pointing a finger at Vi's sound of wailing sirens approached the lab.

Caitlyn practically shook with rage. Her arms were crossed over her chest. Her icy eyes were a blizzard of anger and her jaw was taut with agitation. She stared Dakota down, who looked up with apologetic eyes. She then turned her wintery gaze to Vi, who shivered involuntarily.

The coldness she felt wasn't coming from the open window from their office.

"Look, Cupcake," Vi began.

Caitlyn slammed her hands down on her desk. "Don't you Cupcake me, Vi!" Caitlyn snarled. "Jayce wants to press charges. You do not understand the severity of the situation you two have gotten yourself into."

"I-" Dakota started but closed her mouth instantly when Caitlyn scowled at the teenager.

"And you." Caitlyn rumbled. "Not only are you going to have to deal with court martial, but your brother is beyond angry. You're lucky I talked your commanders down and convinced them that they shouldn't put you on court martial. You're lucky that they agreed that you were influenced."

Dakota's brow furrowed. "Influenced? I wasn't influenced. How the hell was I influenced?" Dakota argued, standing up and glaring at the sheriff.

Vi's violet eyes widened in fear for the girl beside her. "Nice knowing ya, kid."

Dakota disregarded Vi then turned her attention back to the emotionless sheriff. Dakota shivered at the coldness from the older woman. "If you raise your tone of voice at me like that again, you will highly regret it." Caitlyn warned menacingly.

Dakota swallowed in fear, but she mustered her courage and stood in defiance to the sheriff. "Things got out of hand, I understand that, but don't make her my scapegoat. I am just as responsible as Vi. I could've stopped the nonsense, but I didn't. So leave her out of my punishment. I deserve what I deserve." Dakota bellowed out.

Caitlyn raised an eyebrow at the girl, making the soldier gulp. She was going to get what she was asking for.

"Tomorrow you are to show up at barracks after morning rise. You will be cleaning all fifty common bathrooms to a near perfect polish. Afterwards you will be reporting to Jayce's lab and assist him return his lab to the way it was in any way possible. And since you think you are healed enough to go punching out walls, you will begin your rehabilitation. I will inform Abbie to begin your training" Caitlyn ordered coldly.

Dakota glared at the sheriff icily. Vi inwardly shrunk to hide from the two wintery forces. By the void, those two could freeze Sejuani to death with those glares.

"Permission to be dismissed?" Dakota asked through gritted teeth.

"Permission granted." Caitlyn allowed smugly, raising her slender eyebrow to the steaming teenager.

The girl saluted the sheriff, turned on her heels and slammed the door with excessive force. The sheriff then heard the repercussion from Dakota's quarters door being slammed and locked.

Caitlyn pinched the bridge of her nose. "By the gods." She growled under her breath. Her eyes then darted over to Vi, whose eyes widened in fear of the sheriff's wrath. "You have desk duty for the next week, Deputy. No patrols, no busting heads. Just paper work. So help me if I catch you with those gauntlets on and heading out the door, I will find you and you will regret it, Vi." Caitlyn warned angrily, making the pinkette nod her head quickly. "And if you ever risk Dakota's life like that again, I will use your gauntlets as targets during my next target practice. Do I make myself clear?" She snarled.

Again, Vi's head did a quick nod. "Crystal."

"You're on the couch for the next week too." Caitlyn added as she sat back down on her office chair pushing her long hair through her fingers, letting the stress roll off her body. She grabbed the massive stack of paperwork and placed it in front of Vi. "I'm going to be taking the rest of the night off, when you are done these you can return home. You have quite the night ahead of you, Deputy. I suggest you get a move on."

Vi frowned at the massive stack, but kept her complaints to a minimum. She didn't want any more reason for Caitlyn to add to her punishments. So she watched painfully as her partner and girlfriend strode out the door, wrapping herself in a purple canvas jacket and placing her iconic top hat on her head.

(That nIght)

Pink eyes scanned the scene with a psychotic energy. She kicked at one of the metal masked figures. No groan, no noise.

She crouched over the body and cocked her head curiously at the limp body. She rapped her knuckles on the hard iron material covering the face.

"Hello?" She called out sadistically. "Anyone home?"

Her voice lowered in an octave and gained a slight accent. "Maybe he's not alive."

Her pink eyes shot to the shark like rocket launcher at her shoulder. Her voice returned to it's squeaky character.

"Mayyybe fishbones, ya might be right." She stuck the tip of her tongue out at the side of her mouth as she unblinkingly stared at the body. "He ain't breathing, but since when did Viktor's playthings breathe?"

"Ah, the loose canon."

The small woman whirled on the metallic voice, getting onto the balls of her feet and raising her rocket launcher at her intruder. Her lips turned up in a maddening grin.

"Metal man, you sneaky sneaky thing." Jinx teased, flicking her blue bangs out of her eyes.

Viktor clasped his hands behind him and strode over to the acolyte body. He knelt low so that he was level with the deranged girl. He cautiously kept his amber eyes on her as she curiously poked and prodded the dead acolyte.

"Your play thing isn't working, bud." She commented as she furrowed her brow and plucked at the cotton over coat.

Viktor chuckled darkly. "Some of my experiments escaped. This is their aftermath." He gestured to the other bodies that were cut with gnarly knife wounds. "My lab is no longer secure. I have to conclude my other experiments at my compound."

" old lab." She quipped out exuberantly.

He looked at the maniac suspiciously. "Yes," he sighed out carefully. "I had 'adopted' his destroyed compound after he was arrested by the league for terrorist crimes."

She nodded. "He had the same dreams as you, ya know. He changed me so that I could, oh how did he say it." She brought up the rocket launcher.

"Terrorize his trash like enemies?" Fish bones voiced out.

Jinx beamed. "Yeah, that's what he said."

Viktor nodded at the information and rose to his feet from his crouch. "The Piltovians." He whispered. "Such a waste." He tisked at the bodies. "When I find whoever freed my experiments, they will regret the day their mother birthed them." He growled angrily.

"Oh you mean hat lady's doppleganger?" She asked curiously.

Viktor stared at the maniac. "What are you saying?"

"Well the blonde boy and the purple girl, were led out by Hat lady's doppleganger. She even saved the purple girl. Even took Hatlady's car! I've seen it so much that I could pick it out anywhere."

If Viktor had an eyebrow, it would have rose to that information. "And whom is Hatlady, again?" He had a sneaking suspicion, but he had to make sure. He had to be right.

"Why, you know her." She scoffed out rapping her knuckles onto his shoulder. "Her and fathands go round Piltover, ruining my fun."

Viktor nodded, a plan formulating in his mind. "How would you like to visit Piltover, Jinx?"

The maniac's smile grew large and frightening.

"Oh boy, metal man, I love Piltover." She chuckled darkly.


	12. Chapter 12:Internships and Broken Hearts

**A/N- Hey bbs. So here is the 12th chapter. I hope you enjoy. So you will be seeing that I put song titles in { }. These are the songs that helped inspire me to write those segments. Hopefully I can help you find some new awesome artists to listen to. Also I'm going to do a Q/A on my tumblr and on private messaging here. I will answer everything and anything (except spoilers :P) so shoot all the questions you want answers to. Feel free to leave a review, because I love seeing you guys talking about the sheriff and the soldier. Also I can't stress enough, you guys need to check out GrayHoodiee on devianart and tumblr, my gawd she's hella awesome and has done some awesome work drawing up my bbs. Anyways, I hope you enjoy**

 **nightly73 . tumblr .com .com.**

(Two Days Later) {She was- Seven Lions}

She pinched the bridge of her nose as the set of keys fell to the cement of the underground parking lot. She sighed heavily and bent low to grab the cursed metal ring. Before her lithe fingers could grab at the keys, a large hand swooped them and passed them over. She stood at her full height in surprise, almost dropping the cake box in her small arms.

Her icy eyes were met with a sly grin.

"Jayce." She nodded her head toward the defender of tomorrow who chuckled.

"Caitlyn." He replied back. He leaned himself up against her sleek car. Caitlyn rose a slim questioning eyebrow. "Where in the void did you find that girl?" He asked crossing his arms over his chest and keeping steady eye contact with the sheriff. His steely eyes held a glint of curiosity.

Caitlyn rolled her eyes and turned her back on the defender, taking long strides to the elevator door.

She heard a frustrated groan come from Jayce followed by the sound of his boots echoing off the pavement. She whirled on her heels and glared daggers at Jayce. "Look, if you have complaints, I understand. I sincerely do, Jayce." She took a step closer making him take a step back. "I understand that you are angry that Vi and Dakota practically destroyed your lab. They have been both punished accordingly, as you attested to Dakota arriving at your lab yesterday. I will see that she didn't meet the requirements and give her something new to attone to for what she did. Will that make you happy?" She seethed.

Jayce looked at Caitlyn in shock. He had his arms up in surrender, hoping to fall off the sheriff's threat radar. "No, you don't understand. She did phenomenal." He sputtered out quickly. "Why would I come and complain?"

Caitlyn instantly felt guilty. She sighed heavily and brushed her bangs out of her face.

It had been a long night. She had been called in late at the station after getting reports of Jinx possibly returning to the city, with clues of fresh graffiti lining the walls of the state treasury. Her officers were infuriated that Vi wasn't on the front lines, helping them find more evidence. They had retaliated with refusing to go on patrols. If Vi was to be needed Caitlyn would temporarily lift her patrol suspension.

But they had no solid evidence, so Vi would be staying behind her desk filling out all kinds of paperwork.

"I'm sorry Jayce." Caitlyn muttered out empathetically. "I didn't mean to loose my temper."

Jayce nodded warily. "No worries, Cait." He clapped his hand on her small shoulder, a small smile spreading through his lips. "I think she's a genius. Even for a delinquent."

Caitlyn gave Jayce an offended look. "Dakota? She's not a del-"

"She pointed out a flaw in my wiring systems. I've been told by many professionals that I was one of the top hextech wirers, in all of Valoran. Yet she found a mistake that helped with my output charges for my new experiment. She may have just solved an energy crisis pattern that has haunted hextechers since the very beginning." Jayce interrupted.

Caitlyn raised an eyebrow. "She's quite talented with what she creates."

"Talent is what I have. What she has is a bloody gift, Caitlyn. It's a shame really that it's wasted on someone like her." Jayce pointed a finger at the sheriff. "She told me she was self taught. Is that true?"

 _Someone like her?_ Caitlyn thought angrily.

Caitlyn's eye twitched. "As far as I know, Jayce, she is."

"I don't believe it." He stood there shaking his head. "There is no way."

Caitlyn shrugged. "I don't know what to tell you, Jayce."

"Look, I don't offer this to many people. I know her and Vi had a wager set up about Dakota, being a possible assistant to Vi. But she won't flourish, she can't bloom under Vi. Tell her I'm offering a paid internship. Before she knows it, she will be the best hextecher in all of Valoran if she is under my wing."

Caitlyn gave the defender an annoyed look.

"Ok, I will harass you no longer. I've work to finish." With that Jayce turned on his heels and departed the underground parking lot.

Caitlyn watched Jayce leave with an incredulous look. She turned on her heels angrily and strode onward taking the elevator.

"Pompous asshole." She muttered under her breath. She was sure, that Vi could easily make something with twice as much more craftsmanship than him, with her eyes blindfolded and a hand tied behind her back.

The elevator alerted her of her arrival, and she sauntered out of the elevator and straight into the fray of officers milling to and fro throughout the office. She nodded to the guard who gave a gruff, "Sheriff," and then returned to his crossword puzzle.

Officers made a point to get out of her way as her heeled boots cascaded in staccato rhythm. The sheriff was on a mission, and anyone who got in her way would be taken out with whirlwind force. She took the turns toward her office with haste and burst open the door, to find a sleeping Vi, snoring loudly on a massive stack of yellowed parchment. Ink had poured onto her cheek from the upturned ink pot.

"Vi." Caitlyn reached over and shook Vi's shoulder roughly, waking the brawler fiercely.

Vi's head snapped up quickly. She wiped at the drool at the corner of her mouth and looked at Caitlyn with surprised violet eyes. Caitlyn placed the small blue cake box onto her desk and turned to Vi. She grabbed at Vi's cheek, tipping the pinkette's chin up and placed her soft lips onto Vi's. The brawler's eyes closed at the sensation and a low growl of pleasure rolled in the back of her throat as she turned her chair to be facing _her_ sheriff.

Caitlyn broke the kiss, letting her thumb draw a small circle along Vi's tattooed cheek. Her lithe fingers dug into Vi's chin and directed the pinkette's dazed violet eyes to her intense icy orbs.

"You're off desk duty, Vi." Caitlyn growled.

"Cupcake?" Vi gave a worried look at Caitlyn's tone, her voice groggy and confused."You ok?"

"I want you to prove that you will be a better mentor to Dakota, then Jayce would." Caitlyn said sternly. "Can I trust you on that?"

"A mentor? Me?" Vi asked skeptically.

"Teach her everything that you're beautiful head knows. If she somehow strays near that pompous twat,I will never forgive myself. She likes and trusts you. Give her the best knowledge, Vi." Caitlyn pressed her lips to Vi's forehead.

"You're sure?" Vi asked.

Caitlyn gave a small chortle. "Do you want her as an assistant or not?"

Vi's lips turned up into a beaming smile. "I won't let her down, Cupcake."

Caitlyn grinned and sat at the leather office chair. "I know you won't, love."

(1 hour later) {People Crying Every Night- A}

Abbie had been nothing but ruthless.

"Get up!" The fiery red head bellowed.

Dakota grunted, using all her strength to do the pushup. Her right shoulder screamed in agony, making her grit her teeth. Abbie growled and slammed her boot into Dakota's back, pressing the newly turned sixteen year old, into the dark green mat.

"I don't think you're trying hard enough." Abbie grinned menacingly. She pressed her weight into the middle of her back, using the heavy combat boot. "Push up!" Abbie commanded.

Dakota looked up angrily to Abbie. She opened her mouth to have the back of her head turning victim to Abbie's boot. "I don't want your attitude, Dakota. Do as I say." She reapplied pressure into Dakota's back.

Dakota shook her head. She readjusted her hand placement, to give her better balance. Her first attempt failed miserably as Abbie added more pressure into her back. With a roar, Dakota tried again. With every bit of burning will and desire, Dakota pushed her body up into a pushup position, gritting her teeth against the pain. Her entire body shook violently as she kept herself on her injured arm. Sweat beaded at her forehead as she kept focus.

"Now, get down slowly." Abbie muttered as her relentless pressure increased as Dakota began her agonizing descent to her stomach.

She kept herself up a quarter of an inch off the mat. She could feel her arm muscle clenching at the bullet wound, begging for some type of release.

With a silent nod, Abbie released her boot from Dakota's back, making the girl give a final grunt. Dakota rolled on to her back and looked up at the high ceiling of the training center.

"Good work. We'll continue tomorrow." Abbie muttered.

Dakota closed her icy eyes and nodded slowly as she controlled the urge to scream in agony. Her chest heaved as she fought for air. Her abdomen pounded with fire like intensity, making the repairing muscles groan and strain.

Dakota's ears perked when she heard the training room door close. She clenched her teeth, and sat herself up, holding her head into her hands, letting her fingers brush through her raven black bangs. Her tight knit black t-shirt was drenched in sweat. She shakily rose to her feet and moved towards the exit.

Dakota pushed through the door and bumped into Illya, who jumped back in surprise.

Illya composed herself quickly and gave a sideways grin to the taller girl.

"Looks like you've been dragged around town by a team of horses." She hoisted the duffel bag strap onto her shoulder and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ears.

Dakota raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "I feel like it." Dakota leaned up against the side of the door on her uninjured shoulder. She tipped her chin to the Noxian, who wore a light gray long sleeved shirt, that hugged her body snuggily. "So, the Sheriff, is letting you reside with us?"

"I guess she is, until we can figure out a way to get me back to Noxus without getting an execution warrant." Illya giggled out. "That may take a while, so might as well do what I do best and survive with the cards I've been dealt."

Dakota nodded. "So are you settling in well? I heard you took Abbie's old room."She crossed her left arm protectively to her right shoulder as it began to fire up with angry pain. Her thumb went underneath the shirt sleeve and did small soothing circles on the muscle, trying to quiet the screaming pain.

"Yeah, I'm pretty comfy. Your rooms are a hell of a lot better than my old barracks." Illya replied, watching Dakota soothing her own pain. "That red head's working you hard." Illya gave a small sadistic smile. She looked up from her eyelashes catching Dakota's icy eyes. Something in Dakota's gut clenched. "But not hard enough. Want to beat the shit out of each other?"

Dakota's irises widened at the challenge. She loved unexpected challenges.

But previous commitments came first.

"I would," Dakota began. "But I actually have to meet with the sheriff and finish up a report."

"Ah, I heard about the trouble you were in. Alex thought you didn't have it in you to blow up a lab." Illya gave a wicked smile and winked.

Dakota palmed her face in embarrassment. She looked up to Illya giving a small laugh. "Be careful, Alex knows how to get into more trouble than me."

"Evidence proves otherwise, soldier." Illya clapped Dakota's injured shoulder and watched as the taller girl's jaw tightened ever so slightly.

 _She's stronger than she looks._ Illya noted in her mind. _That should have made her cry out or something._

"It's a shame," Illya said over her shoulder as she strutted past Dakota, sashaying her hips teasingly. "I kind of wanted to see if you could handle me. We'll have to raincheck."

Dakota gave a wry grin, her eyes being captured by Illya's hypnotically swaying hips. She quickly averted her eyes, letting a pink flush gather on her cheeks. She ran her fingers through her bangs and shook her head. She turned on her heels and quickly exited the training room. she travelled down the long hallways taking the two flights of stairs and the final hallway toward her quarters. As soon as she entered into her room, Dakota lifted the sticky shirt off her body. She winced as she lifted her arm over her head to get the material off. She reached toward her dresser grabbing a fresh grey uniform shirt and a pair of the black denim pants. She hobbled off to her bathroom closing the door behind her.

It still felt weird to have this privacy. Sure life in the barracks was close knit and communal. Everyone knew each other's habits, but there was no privacy, no chance at being solitary with oneself.

She turned the faucets letting the hot water steam the small tiled room. She grabbed a towel from the small in wall cabinet and placed it along the towel rack. She removed the rest of her articles of clothing and stepped into the black tiled shower letting the hot water work at her tired and sore muscles. Dakota closed her eyes at the sensation, letting her mind go to thoughts of pure bliss as the heat unwinded her repairing body.

 _Sixteen years,_ Dakota thought. _Countless fights, wounds and bonds._

She lathered herself with mint scented soap and her mind drifted to her mother. A small smile spread through her lips as she remembers the way her mother would wake her up on the mornings of her birthday.

 _Rise and shine, love_ She would say leaping onto her daughter's bed. _Another trip 'round the sun for my little girl._ She would then attack a giggling Dakota with pecks around her forehead and cheeks. _Another year older. You're growing up too fast._ She would then blow a raspberry on her exposed belly making the girl squeal happily.

Dakota would place her hands on her mother's cheeks trying to push the woman's face away. _Muuuuuum,_ She would complain. _Stop._

Her mother would beam her sunlike smile, the one Elric inherited, and lovingly hold her young daughter. _Happy Birthday, love. You are the best thing ever given to me._

Dakota gave a sad smile as she stared at the drain. Blood commingled with the clear hot water. "Shit," She muttered as she inspected the stitching and bruised bullet wound on her abdomen. She blew out a sigh of relief as she realised it was only dried blood that washed away from the wound.

Dakota had finished her washing and stepped out of the shower and wrapped herself in a large grey cotton towel. She hummed at the warmth and closed her eyes at the feeling. She dried herself and replaced the towel with undergarments and her pair of denim pants. She reached into the medicine cabinet, retrieving medical equipment. She took a cotton ball and dampened it with antiseptic. She placed the ball onto the wounds, keeping the skin cleaned. She dipped her fingers into a ointment salve given to her by Matais. She gently rubbed the sensitive skin with the salve. She cut square sheets of gauze and tore strips of medical tape. She pressed the pile of gauze onto her abdominal wound, tapping the sides quickly and efficiently, then moved her dexterous hands to the shoulder wound.

Satisfied with her bandage job she nodded at herself. She slid into a dark grey knit undershirt. She shrugged on her uniform shirt, buttoning up to her neck. Her fingers ran along the golden stitched seams. The light gray shirt was well pressed, with no wrinkles gathering at the face of the shirt. She ensured that her embroidered last name and rank were visible on the left side of her chest. Reaching behind her, she winced as she angered her shoulder. Her hands brushed through her raven black locks as she tied it into a tight bun. She reached into her medicine cabinet for a small wooden box and produced her mother's wedding ring on a golden chain. She kissed at the gold band and placed the chain around her neck and the ring underneath her shirt.

She did a quick once over in her mirror and did a sideways smile. She turned on her heels and exited her bathroom. She threw her used towel and clothing into a hamper by her neatly made bed and stepped into her perfectly polished boots. She stepped out of her room and into the hallway. She turned her body to the sheriff's office door and took a deep breath.

 _Stay calm, be professional. Don't let your anger get the better of you._ _What happened, had happened and there is nothing to change it._ She chanted to herself mentally. Her knuckles rapped on the large oak door and waited for a response.

There was a brisk. "Enter," coming from behind the door and releasing her breath she stepped into the office space. She kept her shoulders squared and her chin tilted up as she regarded her superior. Her eyes quickly shifted to Vi, who was leaning back in her office chair, throwing a ball up and down. The pinkette turned to the girl with a devilish grin, that made Dakota return an equally devilish smirk.

Dakota had always respected Vi. When the ex-criminal joined forces with the sheriff, Dakota knew she would help make a difference. The stories coming from the other soldiers, especially the ones who had grown up on the streets, had talked of the pink haired girl who stole from, sabotaged and defeated Piltover's top dog gangs. The girl who could whip up anything out of broken hextech pieces and make it run better than university trained techmaturgist.

Her smile faded as her eyes drifted over to Caitlyn, who placed a yellowed parchment into a folder. She rose from her office chair and gestured to one of the seats in front of her desk.

Dakota strode over and stood at attention. She waited for Caitlyn to return to her chair and dismiss her.

Caitlyn rose an eyebrow at the standing soldier who looked on with emotionless manner, her icy eyes looking to nowhere in particular.

This was odd for Dakota. Of course Dakota was professional, but she had always been a little casual around the sheriff. Had Caitlyn broken a bond? Had she ruined a possible relationship with her aggressive punishments?

Caitlyn blinked at the soldier and furrowed her brow. "At ease, Dakota. There is no need to be so military like."

Dakota didn't respond as she seated herself, keeping her shoulders in a tight posture.

Caitlyn looked to Vi, who also frowned.

"I'm going to get some coffee. Want some tea, Cupcake?" Vi asked as she stood up from her desk.

"Thank you,Vi. I would enjoy a cup." She kept her voice guarded and watched as Vi exited the room. The door clicked closed and Caitlyn's eyes gazed at the soldier seated in front of her.

"What seems to be on your mind, Dakota?" Caitlyn asked, folding her hands on top of her desk.

Dakota's mouth went into a firm line. Her body language became instantly prickly. Her eyes then went to her lap.

"Nothing is on my mind, ma'am." Dakota replied coldly.

Caitlyn's frown deepened.

"How is your rehabilitation going?" She asked, trying to steer the conversation into something light hearted while she kept note of Dakota's body language. Trying to rekindle whatever was lost.

"Captain Preston has kept in good standing of her commitment, to ensure I recover quickly." Dakota voiced out. "She's brutal, but I understand that's for the best."

Caitlyn nodded. "I've been hearing good things from your commanders. They're impressed with your work on the bathrooms. They had told me that the walls truly sparkled." She watched as Dakota shifted in her seat. "Well done."

Dakota nodded. "Thank you, sheriff."

"Jayce is also impressed with your work. He practically talked my ear off about you." Caitlyn imagined herself tip toeing around a line. "I understand you and Vi had an agreement. Something about you, being an assistant?"

A small barely there smirk, tipped the edges of Dakota's lips.

 _Come on, love._ Caitlyn begged mentally. _Open up to me again._

"I don't believe it's formal, though." Dakota replied a twinge of mirth growing in her voice.

"Jayce has informed me, that he is interested in giving you a paid internship." Caitlyn looked at the quill in her lithe fingers, rolling the smooth object with her digits.

Dakota gave an annoyed frown. "He has informed me multiple times. " Her jaw clenched. "He had made a simple mistake with his system. He was very frustrated so I stepped in and he wouldn't leave me alone for the remainder of my time at his lab. He kept asking me who taught me and he wouldn't give me space. I left after he got in my face and demanded that I become his pupil."

Caitlyn's knuckles turned white as she clenched the quill. It threatened to snap under her angry grasp. She took a second to control herself, trying to get over the oncoming protective force. If Jayce so much as looks at Dakota the wrong way…

She closed her eyes and took a calming breath. She looked back to the teenager and gave a gentle smile. "I had a discussion with Vi earlier. She is more than willing to be a mentor to you, but this is your decision and you can choose whomever you please. You have talented people standing behind you, who want you to succeed in anyway possible. "

Dakota stood up quickly, a troublesome sideways grin on her face. She placed her calloused palms on Caitlyn's desk. Her icy eyes were alight with excitement. "Vi is going to be my mentor?"

A knowing smile spread through Caitlyn's lips. "If you choose her, then yes." She chortled.

Dakota sat back into the chair and began to laugh. "Hell yeah! Of course I choose, Vi. Jayce is a creep and Vi is definitely more qualified than that pompous ass."

Caitlyn chuckled. "I'm glad to hear." She turned her chair to a paper organiser and pulled out a file. She opened the file and produced official looking parchments. "I'm going to get you to sign this sheet." She pointed to the signature line. "This is the final report, that entails of your punishments issued. This is the signature where we both agreed that you carried them out with respect and orderly conduct."

Dakota nodded taking the quill from Caitlyn's hand. She bent her shoulders as she elegantly signed her name on the dotted line. She returned the parchment and quill to Caitlyn.

"Now, I don't want you or Vi, going around blowing up labs during your free time together." Caitlyn pointed the quill toward Dakota. "Do I make myself clear, master corporal?" There was a slight teasing tone in the sheriff's voice.

Dakota gave a mischievous grin. "I can't promise anything, but I myself won't go around intentionally destroying treasured areas of highly great importance."

The sheriff rose an eyebrow. "And if you do go 'round causing mayhem, I won't be saving you from the higher ups."

Dakota snorted. "They're scared of us, you know." Dakota, formalities forgotten, leaned back against the chair with her arms crossed, a slight twinge of arrogance laced in her body language. "We're highly trained professionals, that know most of Piltover's classified activities. They're careful with how they act with us."

Caitlyn's lips turned down in a frown. "Well, that's not how I'm going to work. Discipline and respect, Dakota. Those are the key points in being a leader and to maintain teamwork relationships. I am swift to get to the bottom of problems and correcting them."

Dakota nodded. "And that's why we respect you. Pardon my language, but you have the balls to stand up to our nonsense. We all feel that you were the best choice to be our commander. "

Caitlyn chuckled." Even Abbie?" She asked with mock suspicion.

"Abbie can be prickly at times. She likes to make sure her family's safe, so you may have to give her time to get used to you. But yes, even Abbie." Dakota chuckled.

Caitlyn gave a small smile. "Well master corporal, I'm glad that you have taken this situation with maturity. You displayed hard work and remorse for your actions. Is there anything else we need to discuss? Any issues with instructors or classes?"

"No ma'am. Top in most of my classes. Second to the top in the rest." Dakota informed rising from her seat.

Caitlyn nodded. "Well, done. I'll be sure to inform Vi on your availability." Caitlyn beamed at the teenager. "She's quite excited to work with you."

"As am I." Dakota responded. "Thank you for the opportunity, Sheriff." Dakota saluted to her commander, and turned on her heels. She placed her hand on the doorknob, but froze."Oh and Sheriff. Thanks for keeping the higher ups off my ass. I seriously appreciate it, Cait."

Caitlyn rolled her eyes. "No need to thank me, love. Just don't do it again for the love of the gods."

Dakota beamed. "Yes ma'am." She opened the door and was prepared to leave when Caitlyn stopped her.

"Oh, before I forget." Caitlyn swiveled her chair and grabbed a small blue cake box that was wrapped in a royal blue bow. Her heels clicked along the tiled floor as she walked over to the young soldier. She produced the box too Dakota, who took it gingerly in her palms. "Happy Birthday." She wrapped a careful arm around Dakota's neck pulling the soldier in for a hug.

She felt the surprise rock through Dakota and then the quiet chuckle as the soldier's free arm wrapped around the sheriff's waist, completing the embrace.

"Thanks sheriff." Dakota grinned as Caitlyn stepped back. The sheriff clasped her hands behind her and rocked on the back of her heels excitedly.

Dakota slowly undid the bow to the small box and the top and sides instantly fell apart to produce a beautifully decorated cupcake. The icing was perfectly topped in delicate swirls of different shades and hues of blue. The cake itself looked perfectly formed in it's chocolate elegance. Dakota's mouth watered instantly. She looked up at the sheriff with wonder filled eyes.

"You made this?"

"Of course." Caitlyn confirmed. "If my memory doesn't fail me, blueberry was your favourite flavour right?" Caitlyn bit at her lip and Dakota gasped.

"Hell yeah! I can't believe you remembered that." Dakota grinned, pulling back the sleeve of the cake gingerly.

Caitlyn giggled. "Your mother and I used to make your birthday cake every year. It's been drilled in my head after you would beg us nonstop to make sure it tasted like blueberries."

Dakota chuckled. She took the first bite to the small cupcake and groaned into the fluffy mass. She looked at Caitlyn as if she held the key to every secret in the world. "You still made it the same way that I remembered it, too. Thank you." Dakota's eyes then trailed to the digital clock mounted above Caitlyn's desk. Her face paled. "I have to get going. I'll be late for drills if I don't get a move on. Again Cait, I can't thank you enough for cupcake I've had in a long time ." She took a springy step and launched herself forward stuffing the rest of the cupcake into her mouth as she darted past the corner and out of the laughing sheriff's view.

"Happy birthday, love." Caitlyn whispered out, before closing the door and returning back to her work.

(One week later) {Overwerk-Toccato}

Blood sprayed as the bodies collided in a fray of pent up rage and chemically induced aggression. Roars and grunts echoed into the sand pit viewing arena.

Amber eyes regarded the scene with scientific observation. He would jot down notes on certain aspects of the two bodies and how they fought; how they clung to their second chances of life.

They'd rather be dragged into the void, rather than being enclosed in death's grasp again.

Pity, he'll have to treat that fear. Have to ensure that they would never react like this on the battlefields when the time came.

He wanted reckless abandon. Uncensored movement that made the enemy tremble in fear. These were his creations and they would do him proud.

A quick staccato knock came on the pine door of the viewing room.

He gave an annoyed sigh, pinching the bridge of his metal nose.

"Enter!" He bellowed, letting the annoyance slither into his robotic like voice.

Aug, his robot boy, entered into the room carefully.

"Father, we've received word from the maniac."

"What does she say?" His eyes returned back to the two of them had broken the other's arm.

"She has spotted the experiments. She was right, the Sheriff of Piltover is housing them." Aug replied, his robotic eyes came upon the scene.

"Send word that I will be arriving in Piltover by Tomorrow. Tell her to prepare."

Aug nodded.

One of the bodies were now limp in the sand, unmoving. The other began to rip the fallen to bits, wailing and screaming all the while.

"A few more tweaks to the chemical and they should be right as rain." He commented to no one in particular.

He watched the gruesome scene as the victorious ripped the fallen's head, clean off. Blood stained the sand covered ground.

He chuckled.

"If this doesn't give that Noxian bird lover a run for his money then I don't know what will."

(That Afternoon) {twenty one pilots- Stressed out}

 _Thunk._

Eyes focused on the red paint. A deep, steadying breath gets held as her arm is pulled back. Her shoulder is set, her elbow is pointed to her target. She grits her teeth as the muscle gets pulled, angering almost healed wounds. She ignores it as she returns focus.

 _THUNK._

A satisfied smirk reaches her lips, tipping the corners toward the dark afternoon sky.

The axe head is burried deep in the makeshift target; the metal is focused into the red dot of the middle.

"Bullseye." She mutters.

Her boots crunched against the gravel of the junkyard as she approached the target.

She was somewhere in the outskirts of the massive city. Some random place where the shadows seemed more violent than the people that lurked within them. She had a run in of some street rats earlier.

Her tongue went over the new cut in her lip. The taste of salt and copper going through her palette. They got a lucky hit in. Once she incapacitated the leader of the bunch, they had scampered off with their tails between their legs.

She liked where she was now. It was quiet and lacked the sounds of the bustling city, where hexmobiles and pedestrians ruled the soundwaves. The populace was afraid of places like where she was.

The week had been one stressed filled calendar of passed dated papers and constantly practiced drills ordered in the middle of the night. Schooling was ending for the season, making exams and test rampant in existence.

She let her fingers slide through her bangs as she brushed them out of her face as she came face to face with her prized weapons. Her digits glided along the smooth metal of the handle. She smiled in pride at the craftsmanship she had instilled when she made these.

She remembers the look of the Demacian lieutenant, that caught her in the forges. So much surprise and confusion as a thirteen year old girl, skinnier than a rod, wailing away at red hot Noxian steel in the dead of the night. _What in the void are you doing?_ He had called out over the pounding hammer.

 _What?_ She had called back ceasing the incredible racket.

 _What has possessed you to create such cacophony, child_? He had demanded, furrowing his brow and watching as flames licked out of the forge.

 _Boredom!_ She called back with a mischievous grin, turning her small back on the lieutenant and pumping more air into the forge.

She remembers looking back to see the soldier sighing and going over to a nearby stool. He stayed there that night, blurting out tips every now and again as she crafted the metal. When she was done, she presented the twin axes to the man.

 _Not bad,_ He commented, patting the young girl's head. _With_ _a little more attention to detail you could be quite the blacksmith._

She placed her boot on the wooden board and tore the axes out of the target.

She hasn't done target practice like this in a long time.

It feels so good.

She goes a bit farther than the last time. She drags her boot in the gravel, creating a line. She goes through the movements, holding her arm back, aiming, steadying her breath and releasing the tomahawk.

THUNK!

It bites heavier into the wood sticking on target, right dead in the middle.

She snorts.

This is too easy. It's not challenging enough.

She takes a second to let her eyes search through the numerous scrap piles. She spots something letting a wolf like grin spread through her face. She scales the large piles with ease, avoiding the sharp intakes of metal that twist and turn out of nowhere. She stands at the top, keeping her eyes glued to the target.

She picks up a piece of clay and throws it up a couple of times, getting used to the weight. She looks to the next pile of trash and leaps forward. She continues her path leaping and scaling large trash piles that circle the target.

By the time she starts getting speed and trust that the heaps won't fall, she throws the clay piece toward the target and as she leaps she does a front flip, launching the axe forward.

She rolls to her feet as she lands.

She observes the board and grins wildly.

Throughout her injuries, she still has it.

She struts over to the target with wicked confidence and a killer smile as she regards the axe pinning the clay piece to the bullseye of the target, just above it's twin.

"Damn." She hears from behind her.

Whirling with unblinking speed, she unhinges the axe head from the target. She aims for the intruder and immediately drops her shoulder. She rolls her eyes.

"What are you doing here?" She asks, letting the annoyance drip in her voice.

"Your brother was worried you got taken away by some rogue gangs." Illya chuckles. "Thought I'd go out and save the damsel in distress."

"The only damsel in distress will be you, if you don't leave me alone." Dakota warned, turning back to her target and dislodging the next axe.

"What's got your panties in a knot?" Illya pokes, taking the few steps toward a pile of tires. She hops onto one of them, taking a seat on the old rubber.

"Bite me." Dakota spits out.

Illya raises a slim eyebrow, giving a devilish smirk. "Careful what you wish for, darling." She winks making Dakota groan. "You know in Noxus, we deal with stress by fighting, not throwing axes at helpless pieces of wood. It's not fair, don't you think? What's that piece of wood ever done to you?" Illya teases.

Dakota gives Illya a flat expression and pinches the bridge of her nose. "Look, I just wanted to come here and blow off some steam in a quiet place. Is that so much to ask?"

Illya snorts. She hops off her makeshift chair and takes the necessary steps so she is face to face with Dakota. "I can help you blow off some steam, soldier." She purrs softly, letting her hand hover in the space between them, reaching for her cheek.

She watches as Dakota's eyes widen and a faint blush appear on her cheeks as she realises what Illya is after.

 _Sucker,_ Illya thinks.

With quick speed, Illya grabs Dakota's neck and drops low, swiping the soldier's feet. Illya brings Dakota down with her. Dakota breaks the hold and counters Illya's attempt to flip her. The two of them roll away from each other.

"You really want to do this?" Dakota demands, her eyes regarding Illya's crouched form looking for points of weakness.

Her gut tightens when she senses none.

Emerald and ice clashed as they regarded each other.

"How else am I going to show you my teeth? I'll get you feeling as tranquil as an Ionian monk. Don't you worry darling, I'll get the stress out of your system." Illya calls out.

"Don't call me, darling."

"Aww but Darling Dakota is so catchy."

"Fuck off." Dakota snarls as she launches herself forward.

Illya waits for the last second and rolls in the gravel. Dakota skids to a stop. She plants her palm into the dirt, pushing her legs in the air as she avoids a kick from Illya. She tucked herself into a ball rolling to her feet. She placed her fists in front of her face as Illya follows suit, giving a devilish smirk.

Illya feigns to the right and strikes the left side of the Soldiers abdomen. She swings her right arm quickly, aiming for Dakota's exposed jaw. The soldier responds by ducking the shot and slamming her fist into Illya's thigh and pulling a combo into her stomach and finishing the set with a cross jab into her cheek.

Illya pushed at Dakota's chest, making the taller girl step back. Illya rubbed at her cheek, giving Dakota a wicked grin.

"You picked up some stuff from the pink haired bitch. Abbie told me, you were shit with boxing. Either that or she fucking lied to me."

Dakota snorted. "Shut up and hit back already. And stop going easy on me"

Illya chuckled and squared up.

"How'd you know I was going easy?" Illya asks moving her head to the side as she dodges another jab from Dakota. She brought up one of her pale arms taking Dakota's hook. She grabbed at her attacker's arm. She brought her knee up, ramming it into Dakota's stomach, where her stitches had been a week ago.

"I've seen you fight." Dakota wheezed out. She bit back the pain exploding in her abdominals. She broke out of Illya's hold. She ducked low wrapping her long arms around Illya's waist. She threw her weight back as she rolled herself and Illya backward. Getting into position, Dakota straddled Illya's hips and pinned her into the gravel, pressing her knee into Illya's chest. "And you're a hell of a lot better than this."

"You're right, I am."

Illya bucked her hips forward, and swung her leg up, connecting her knee into Dakota's back. She swiveled her hips rolling the soldier off her body. Dakota scrambled up quickly avoiding Illya's attempt to pin her. She got up in a defensive position.

Illya rose from the ground. "Let's turn it up a notch, shall we?"

Dakota took the first strike with a block and countered it with her elbow striking Illya's neck. Illya responded with an angry growl and ducked out of Dakota's next strike. She stepped into Dakota's instep. She fell back, planting her hand into the gravel and bringing her leg up to kick at Dakota's jaw. In the same movement she swiped her other leg at Dakota's kneecaps making the soldier unbalanced. She somersaulted through Dakota's legs and slamming her feet into the soldier's back making her fall forward.

She lunged on top of Dakota's back, wrapping her arms around her neck and her legs around her hips. With a grunt, Dakota pushed herself up and kneeled on the ground,trying to get the piggy backer of her back. She slipped her hands inside Illya's hold breaking the strong grip she held. She rolled onto her back, and elbowed Illya's abs, making the girl snarl. Dakota turned herself and was instantly met with a rolling Illya. The two of them kept the momentum, throwing punches and swearing loudly as the two fought for the dominant position. Dakota flung Illya forward, using her feet to rabbit kick the Noxian. She rolled forward, using the momentum to get to her feet and connected her fist into Illya's nose. Hearing a sickening crack, she hesitated in her next strike, leaving herself open.

Illya jabbed Dakota's face with a firecracker of a punch, making the Piltovian's already split lip, bleed out.

Dakota took a step back.

"What the fuck was that about?" Illya demanded. "Are you fucking scared to hurt me?" She asked incredulously.

"No, I just.." Dakota stammered out.

"You just what?"

"I...I… yes, ok I am afraid to hurt you. Piss off. The last thing I want is to put you in a hospital." Dakota yelled out.

"Oh my Gods. You're such a pansy. And I thought you looked fucking hot with a split lip"

"Shut up! I just don't want to get in shit! I don't need Caitlyn on my ass, getting pissed off that I'm breaking some stupid diplomatic law."

"You're right to fear that."

The two teenagers's heads snapped to the new voice.

Dakota gulped.

The sheriff strode over to the two girls. She grabbed at Dakota's cheek and inspected the bleeding lip. Dakota looked away from the sheriff.

"You fought someone else before you two got into it."

Dakota looked guiltily toward her feet. "Some douchebags tried to jump me." She muttered out. "And we weren't getting into it. We were just sparring."

"Well from now on you two go toe to toe in the training area and not into some old man's junkyard." Caitlyn ordered, pointing toward the two girls. "The poor soul thought someone was getting murdered."

Illya scoffed. "Really?"

Caitlyn turned on the girl. "Yes, really. Now the two of you get going. I'll go talk to the junkyard owner, hopefully he won't charge the two of you for trespassing. And Dakota, Next time tell your brother where you are going. He's practically sending search parties all over the city to find you."

"Overprotective idiot." Dakota mumbled out.

Caitlyn raised an eyebrow. "With your record of going off and getting into trouble he has reason to be." She strapped her rifle to her shoulders and fixed her notorious top hat. "Get back to HQ. And for the love of the Gods, Illya, get your nose back into place."

"Gods, ok, you don't have to be such a _mom_ about it." Illya muttered, taking her nose into her palms and cracking the cartilage back into place.

The sheriff's back went ramrod straight.

"Piss off, Illya." Dakota grunted. "She's just trying to help."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Look we'll be good little kiddies and get home." Illya grabbed at Dakota's arm yanking her toward the rusted gates of the junkyard exit. "C'mon I gotta finish whooping your ass."

Caitlyn shook her head and turned on her heels.

 _By the Gods, teenagers are a handful._ She thought as her knuckles came to rap against the small downtrodden door of the junkyard keeper.

What Caitlyn didn't realise, was the pair of pink eyes, that had watched the whole scene that played out. The pink eyes of a giggling maniac, that followed behind the two girls, stalking them like easy prey for the slaughter as they got back to HQ.

"Metal man is going to have a field day." She wrung her hands in excited delight.

(The morning after) {OCEAN- John Butler (2012 Studio version)}

The diner wasn't as busy as it usually was at this time in the morning. The sheriff and the enforcer had picked her up and decided to get breakfast, before her and Vi got to work. Dakota looked at the plate of food in front of her with exhausted eyes.

Illya had given her hell, when the two of them got into the training ring. They had gathered a crowd too. Elric and Abbie had cheered her on, while Alex was practically screaming for Illya to win. It was an intense fight, but by the end of it, the two breathless soldiers had gotten into a final bout and Illya took the victory.

"Why the long face, kiddo?" Vi had asked in between scarfing down her scrambled eggs and bacon.

Dakota looked up quickly, plastering a gentle smile on her lips. "Not long, just tired. Illya

kicked the shit out of me last night."

Caitlyn rose an eyebrow at the girl. "Your mouth needs to be washed out with soap."

Dakota smiled sheepishly. "Padron me, Sheriff." Dakota apologised. She reached for the white mug by her plate, taking a small sip of the tea, and humming in content at the warm liquid. "I get a little carried away. It's no excuse but soldiers speak in many tongues and curses are our favorite. The public has no need to hear that kind of language."

Caitlyn nodded in agreement. "I'm glad we can agree on this. Not a lot of others your age would be as mature like you are about the topic."

Dakota smiled. "I'm not like most teenagers." Dakota pointed her fork at Caitlyn. "People my age aren't put into special ops and expected to keep the certain skills I obtain. I mean I could probably pin a fly with this for.." Dakota trailed off. Her eyes had caught a certain individual walking into the diner, pulling back a hood and brushing particles of snowflakes out of her light brown hair.

A deep flush hit Dakota's cheeks and she instantly looked down at her food.

When Dakota was thirteen, she had met one of the most brilliant and intellectual girls in her entire life. Taryn Flynn and Dakota Sampson were a common name with the two of them were in constant battle to obtain top of the class since the two had met. Taryn, only a day older than Dakota, was very keen in hextech and exploration. While Dakota's heroes involved Vi, the great professor Catherine Deramore and the sheriff, Taryn's heroes were Ezreal and professor Heimerdinger. The two girls would bicker consistently over who was the more important hero of Piltover. When Dakota was fourteen she had realised that she had a major crush on Taryn. But the complicated thing was at her first ever company party, Taryn had found Dakota and her older sister, Emma, making out. Dakota wanted nothing to do with the older girl and was forced into the kiss. Emma had been intoxicated and pinned Dakota against a wall. What Dakota didn't know, was that Taryn also had a major crush on Dakota. Taryn wouldn't listen when Dakota tried to explain what had happened. It may have been two years ago, but Taryn held grudges. She had done everything she could to knock Dakota out of classes and tried her hardest to make things difficult. But no matter what, Dakota was still smitten for the girl.

"Who's that?" Vi asked mischievously, her eyebrows wiggling as Taryn walked past the table they had been sitting at, and getting into a booth at the far side of the diner.

Dakota's face was a tomato red as her heartbeat quickened and rammed in her chest.

"N-n-no one." She stammered out. She took her fork and shoved a pile of eggs in her mouth.

"Uh huh. Totally no one. So if I called her over right now and asked her to have breakfast with us, you'd be totally down with it, right?" Vi asked, giving a wide shit eating grin.

Dakota's face paled. "You wouldn't."

Vi chuckled and put her hand up and was about to shout, when Dakota lunged across the table at Vi, putting her hands on Vi's mouth. Vi pushed the girl back in her seat and gave out a throaty laugh. She elbowed Caitlyn playfully.

"Dakota's got a little crush." Vi teased poking at Caitlyn, who gave a gentle giggle.

"I don't think it's little. This seems to be something major, and with history." Caitlyn gave a wry grin and took a sip of her tea.

Dakota put her face on the table and groaned.

"It's perfectly natural, love." Caitlyn reached over the table, grabbing at Dakota's hand and ran a soothing thumb over her knuckles. "What is her name?"

Dakota bit at her lower lip and sighed. "Taryn Flynn. She's a corporal in the twelfth. Her and I used to be very competitive with each other. That is until her sister kissed me," Dakota grumbled out, twirling a spoon in her mug, letting her eyes drift with the warm liquid. She heard Vi hiss out in empathy."That ruined everything and I have been trying to fix the whole situation. Taryn has always been stubborn." She frowned and looked to Caitlyn.

"Why don't you go talk to her now?" Vi asked stuffing more food in her face. "We still got some time to kill before we gotta get to the lab. Go ask her how she is, who knows, ya might rekindle something, kiddo."

Dakota shook her head. "She hates me."

Caitlyn chuckled knowingly. "I don't think so, love. By the amount of stareing that I see out of the corner of my eye, it seems as if she's trying to get your attention." Caitlyn took another quick sip.

"Go for it, kid. I'll have your back. If things go downhill, I'll be your wingwoman." Vi encouraged. "Go over like yer gonna use the bathroom or something and pretend like ya just saw her. It'll be fine."

Dakota palmed her face in embarrassment. "No, I'm not going. I don't want her more pissed off at me then she already is."

"Well it seems that you've been caught flat footed. She's on her way, and the body language she's presenting seems very determined." Caitlyn whispered out loud enough for Dakota to hear.

"Oh this is gonna be rich, cupcake." Vi drawled out, leaning back in the booth and wiggling her eyebrows at Dakota, who was stock still and terrified.

"Sheriff?" Her voice still sounded amazing. Dakota's heart leapt like a wild horse. She carefully looked up at Taryn, who plastered on a beaming smile toward the sheriff. Her long light brown hair was braided back into a tight pony tail. Freckles dotted her cheek and nose and hid underneath her beautiful steel gray eyes. Her slender neck craned forward to get a better look at Caitlyn. She extended her lithe left hand toward the sheriff. Dakota caught a napkin being placed precariously by her plate. "I wanted to thank you, for your service. You've done so much for the city. Before my mother passed away, she had always told my sister and I that if we ever saw you in public that we should always give our thanks. You truly are the hero that Piltover needed."

Caitlyn beamed and took the young girl's hand in her own, giving a gentle shake. "Well you're welcome, darling. Your appreciation does not go unnoticed. What was your name, sweetheart?"

"Corporal Taryn Flynn. I hope you have a wonderful day, sheriff. Sometimes I feel like my thanks is never enough. So I took the honour of paying for you and your company's meal." Taryn offered, looking around the table, her eyes stopping at Vi and giving a gentle she lingered on Dakota. "Master Corporal Sampson, it's good to see you eating with your childhood heroes."

"It truly is amazing. I count myself lucky every day." She replied without missing a beat.

"Well I must get back to my work. Finals are this week and studying has merged with my eating habits. It was nice seeing you again." She placed a hand on Dakota's shoulder and turned on her heels and strutted over to her table. She slid into her booth and went to work on her textbooks lying on the table top.

Caitlyn chuckled. "She left you a note." Her icy eyes regarded the folded piece of napkin by Dakota's plate.

The teenager's eyes grew in giddy excitement. Her fingers shook as she unfolded the napkin.

 _Meet me in the bathroom. We need to talk- T._

"Oh my Gods." Dakota blurted out in shock. She cleared her throat and took a deep breath. She refolded the napkin and placed it into her jeans pocket. She nodded to Vi and Cait. "Please excuse me. I won't be long."

Vi winked. "Be safe."

Dakota flushed furiously. "We're just going to talk." She snapped quickly.

"Uh huh. We'll have a lil chat about the two birds that caught gonorrhea later, kid." Vi teased.

"Oh my Gods, Vi." Dakota said in mortified horror as she stood up from the booth.

"Got get her, tiger." Vi encouraged.

Dakota palmed her face.

When Dakota was out of earshot, Vi produced her open palm to Caitlyn, who rolled her eyes, but finished the high five, with a slight grin on her face.

Dakota caught eye contact with Taryn for a millisecond, before her eyes went to her feet as she continued toward the bathroom. She pushed the swinging door in and waited a whole two minutes.

Taryn marched in pushing the door out of the way. She opened up the bathroom stalls, ensuring it was only them. That it was a private space.

Before Dakota knew it, Taryn's fist came flying in her direction. With quick reflexes, Dakota caught her fist in her palm, and closed her fingers over her knuckles.

Taryn with a frustrated grunt, pushed Dakota against the wall, wrapping her free arm around Dakota's neck. She placed her soft lips on Dakota's, making Dakota squeak in surprise.

Dakota pushed Taryn away, breaking the kiss.

"Ok, so you want to punch me, but you kiss me. What in the void hell, Taryn?" Dakota asked incredulously.

"You broke my fucking heart, Dakota." Taryn growled, her steely eyes glowing with fire and anger.

"My Gods, you hold onto grudges for a long time." Dakota argued. " _Your_ sister kissed me. I didn't want anything to do with her. She got too drunk and pinned me up against a wall. I tried to explain everything, but you were too stubborn to listen. I understand that your heart got broken, but I didn't want it to happen, Taryn. I've liked you since we first met, and you have the gall to tell me _your_ heart was broken. You wouldn't even talk to me, let alone look at me. You made life at my courses miserable, all because you couldn't take a second to hear me out." Dakota yelled. "So either get over it and we could make something work, or continue being a stubborn bitch. It's your choice to make." With that Dakota, pushed past Taryn and left the bathroom, tears threatening to flow down her cheeks.

She wiped at her eyes quickly and took a steadying breath before she sat down at her booth.

"How'd it go?" Vi asked, concern lining her voice.

"She tried to punch me and then she kissed me." She answered in monotone. "I'm confused."

"Women. Can't live with'em, can't live without 'em." Vi replied shaking her head.

"I gave her a piece of my mind, so hopefully she chews on it." Dakota pondered, taking the last gulp of her tea. "Is it ok, if we leave? I don't want to be here."

Caitlyn gave her a sympathetic look. "Of course, love." She reached into a pocket at her belt and left a generous tip on the table. Dakota followed behind the sheriff and the enforcer as she exited the diner. They stopped in front of Caitlyn's parked car.

"So we're yer childhood heroes?" Vi asked before ducking into the car.

Dakota snorted and followed suit, getting into the back seat. "You still are." She answered while buckling into the car.

Vi nodded. "Well that's heart warming. Glad I could inspire ya, kid." Vi chortled.

Caitlyn rolled her eyes as she stared the ignition, making the engine purr to life. Dakota sat in silence as she watched the sunday morning traffic mill in between lanes. Her eyes went up at the sky, looking up at the skyscrapers.

Something didn't feel right. Something in her stomach, knew that something awful was about to happen. She furrowed her brow as she inspected her surroundings.

That's when she caught sight of the blue haired maniac, standing at the top of one of the highway bridges aiming her rocket launcher at Caitlyn's sleek hexmobile.

"Caitlyn stop!" Dakota screamed.

Caitlyn's foot hit the brake, making the car jerk to a halt.

Jinx launched her rocket, just missing the hexmobile, hitting into the concrete and throwing the vehicle into the air.


	13. Chapter 13: Homes and Broken Bones

**AN- Hey bbs. I'm a super sorry that this took longer than it should have. School really kicked my ass with finals. It's good to see you all again, I missed writing fanfiction. So hopefully you like the chapter. I ALSO JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN HERE FROM THE BEGINING OR HAVE JUST STARTED OUR ON MY TRASH TRAIN I WANTED TO SAY THAT I LOVE YOU ALL! You guys bring a big smile to my face and it makes me proud to unveil new chapters. Also also i'm sorry about not posting the Q &A it will come out soon. I'm currently working on that, I'll post it on my tumblr and when this fanficition is done I will post it as the last chapter! I want to thank all those who participated :) ALSO ALSO happy holidays and happy snowdown bbs! ~~~ Enjoy!~~~~**

(2 hours before the attack) {Way Back Home- Mako}

The image in the mirror made a scoff escape her lips. Chocolate brown eyes looked at the freckles peppered along her tanned cheeks and slim nose. Her rose coloured hair, let loose from her usual tight bun, was chaotically out of place with her massive curls. Her fingers brushed through the morning mess, trying to tame the wild beast of her hair.

With a sigh of defeat, her long arms reached for her hair tie, until she felt arms wrap around her waist and a forehead being pressed into her shoulder.

A small smile crept up her thin lips and she let a gentle chuckle breathe out.

"Morning."

It still surprised her when she heard his rough and drowsy piltovian accent in the mornings. When they were younger, it was something to be picked on, but now, it was a staple sound to her mornings. She enjoyed the way his voice changed throughout the early hours going from high Piltovian to rough Demacian.

"Mornin." She drawled.

She felt his nose nuzzle into the wild mess of rose and his lips went to her ear.

She turned her body and faced the handsome blonde with a wry grin.

She pecked at his sun kissed cheeks and gently pushing his hips away as she strode out of their shared bathroom.

Elric made a sad noise in the back of his throat.

She chuckled lightly. "Easy, love. We have work to do, we can't fool around."

Elric nodded. "We have the entire day, and an old mansion to explore."

Abbie reached for a thick leather and cotton hoodie, pulling it over her muscular torso. She looked back to the blonde man, who leaned his back against the threshold of their bathroom. His large palms dug into his closed eyes, rubbing out the stress.

Abbie frowned and strutted over to Elric, taking his chin into her hand and locking her chocolate brown eyes with his sapphire like pools.

"We don't have to do this, Elric. It's just a silly suspicion that could be absolutely nothing. We're just being overly protective and it's making us paranoid."

Elric took a deep breath and settled himself as he got lost in her irises. "I need to know." His square jaw tensed in determination. "I can't get it out of my head. Ever since you mentioned it, I just..." He took another large breath. "It would make so much sense."

Abbie gave a sympathetic look. "You're one hundred percent sure?" She asked, letting her hues dance over his features to find any signs of doubt.

He didn't even hesitate with his response. "I need to do this, Abbie. I need to know the truth."

"Ok." Abbie replied pressing her lips to his giving a soft gentle peck.

The corners of his lips turned up in a slight smirk. "Besides, I've been wanting to show you where my childhood reigned. Hopefully I can find pictures and show you how adorable I was."

Abbie rolled her eyes and pushed off of Elric's chest. "I wonder what happened to that adorable boy. He grew up into a real piece of work."

Elric chortled as he grabbed his dark gray over coat and slipped into a pair of leather shoes. He tugged on a black beanie, letting his tongue slip out of the corner of his lips as he pushed strands of blonde into the material.

He reached for the door handle, pulling back the heavy oak and stepped out of their room. Abbie followed after him as she wrapped a pink scarf around her neck. The two of them stopped short as they were met with Matais, holding a very large stacks of books. He eyed the two young adults with a cocked eyebrow.

"Where are you two headed off to?" He asked suspiciously.

"The Cafe on Orion Avenue, want to come with us?" Abbie answered without skipping a beat.

Matais rolled his eyes. "And watch you two necking for two hours straight, like desperate teenagers? Yeah, no thanks. I'll stick to my texts."

"Have fun being surrounded in boredom and torture." Elric called back as the two of them walked down the long hallway hand in hand.

"It's not torture if you enjoy it, dumb ass!" Matais called back, closing the door behind him.

"Good save." Elric whispered to his taller girlfriend.

Abbie shrugged. "Years of practice."

Elric grinned as he buttoned up his over coat. He tipped his head to the guard by the front desk, who tipped his hat to the couple. They entered into the elevator, pressing the steal button to get to the ground floor. The elevator jerked downward and began it's smooth transgression. The two of them gasped at the beautiful sight before the glass casing of the elevator. The sun was rising off the distant horizon, gleaming off of the glassed and metal buildings, creating the city skyline. Off in the distance the growing sun glanced off the bright blue waves of Gulch Bay giving a clear view of the far off pirate city of Bilgewater. You could catch a glimpse of the the silhouettes of schooners and massive ships sailing along the waters.

Something tightened in Abigail's chest as she looked to the distant image of her former home. Something akin to fondness and pure hatred clenching at her heart strings.

Then with a blink, a nearby building blocked the rest of the view, making the redhead frown slightly.

"How much do you miss it?" Elric asked placing his palm into her open hands and entwining their fingers together. He rubbed his thumb against the back of her hand, doing small slow circles to calm the wave of emotions crashing inside her.

Abbie sighed."More than you know. But I would never set foot in that decrepit city again." She hissed out angrily. "It was never safe there. Not with that piece of razorfish chum, Gangplank, ruling the streets. My father worshipped the very mud that crap stain stood in."

Elric watched as Abbie's jaw tightened in agitation as memories flooded into her mind. "What an idiot." She growled under her breath.

The elevator gave a short cheery ping, notifying its passengers that they had arrived to their destination.

Silently, the two exited the elevator, striding out of the way of wayward politicians and police personnel milling toward the free elevator. They took to the sunday morning streets of Piltover. There was little to none hexmobile traffic and plenty of pedestrians taking there time to inspect the markets and just opened cafes and diners. Elric paused at a small stall, eyeing a delicious looking pastry, glistened over with warm and fresh gooey icing.

He tugged at Abbie's arm and brought her over. "I'll take two of those delicious things, and two teas please" He asked the stall keeper, who chuckled and went to work quickly.

"Best snowdown cakes in all of Valoran, boy. They're a month early, but folks order em round this time. Gets them all fuzzy inside. You two looked like you were hankering fer some good ole sweets, and ya came to the right place." The stall keeper placed two of the pastries into individuals bags and winked over to Abbie. "Ya got yerself quite the beauty, kid."

Elric chuckled. "She's rather moody at times." Elric teased.

Abbie responded by thwacking Elric's chest with the back of her hand.

" Wouldn't have her any other way though." He replied quickly, giving a mischievous smirk toward the red head, who rolled her eyes dramatically.

The stall keep chuckled lightly. He passed over the pastry bags and take out cups of tea, toward the young adults. "I hope y'all have a lovely day. We're to have sunshine and good temperatures throughout the morn and evening. Even though the trees are bared by leaves, I'd reckon that Founder's park would be quite the place fer a stroll."

Abbie gave a sweet smile. "Thank you, that may be a good idea, love. Let's venture over to founder's park after we've finished our errands."

Elric nodded and raised his cup toward the keeper. "Thank you, sir."

The shop keep waved as the two departed down the bustling sunday morning market square. In the centre a large clock tower tolls out the hour. Piltovian doves flutter from the sound as they traverse to a nearby rooftop. The birds coo and huddle close as an early winter breeze pushed through the streets. Abbie's arm is looped around Elric's. She has the hood of her hoodie pulled up to fight off the breeze. It carries smells of baked goods, fresh herbs and the sea.

She freezes at the scent of dried seaweed and fish hits her nostrils like a ton of bricks.

"Preston? Abigail Preston?" A voice calls out, making Abbie turn her head to a wagon in the corner of the city market square, stuffed with dead creatures of the sea. Her chocolate eyes widen as the tall man with a grizzly salt and pepper looking beard and tattoo of an anchor on his exposed neck, waves her down. He is wearing a fisherman's sweater knit with intricate designs and a leather overcoat. The leather of his jacket is as old and worn as his weathered face. His soft sea green eyes are hopeful and hold the young spirit captured in his tired body. He removes his tri-corn hat, and brushes back his greasy chestnut hair. "My, my, ye look just like yer mother."

"Gerald?" Abbie questions, furrowing her brow as the man nods his head. He is smiling widely with some of his front teeth missing.

"Ye grew up. Yer father and mother would be rather proud, I reckon." He spits to the left and steps on the glob with his black leather knee high boots. It's a Bilgewater tradition, when speaking about the dead. "Rumour had it that ye joined the Company."

Abbie gave a sad smile. "I did."

"And young Alexander? I don't see 'em, unless he turned blonde." The old fisherman questioned squinting his sea like eyes to Elric, who put a protective hand at the base of Abbie's spine.

"Alex had joined with me. He's currently in the barracks, doing what teenagers do best; sleeping." The old man throws his head back in laughter and claps Abbie's shoulder with a roughened hand.

"By the sea gods, I've been blessed to see ya, love. The last time I saw ye, you were clutching yer first galleon ya earned, with the cockiest smile in all of Runeterra. Have you had any kindlings toward home?" He asks with a hopeful voice. "I could use some roughened experienced sailors out on the seas. The Mists took out me skipper this year." Again the fisherman spits to his left and stomps his foot on the glob.

"Not with the Saltwater Scourge running the streets. It wouldn't be safe. If he catches a glimpse of us, we'd be done for." Abbie hissed.

The man is taken a back. "Gangplank is dead, Abigail." He repeats his tradition, spitting to the side and stomping his foot.

Abbie's face falls into an open jawed expression.

Gerald looks at her with a shocked expression. "Ye didn't know that?"

"In all honesty, Gerald, after mother and father were killed, I had severed all connections with home. I do not want to return there. It's obvious that with the scourge dead, it's probably just as dangerous as it was when he was alive. The gangs will be fighting for dominance and I have no need to be stuck in a war, that I want nothing to do with. The last thing I need is my brother being dragged back into that hellish place. If my idiot father had done what I had done and left that razorfish cesspool long ago. If he hadn't of put his faith in that scourge, he would be alive and so would my mother. " Abbie growled.

"Yet ye joined the Company of a place that wasn't home of yer birth?" Gerald questions with a raised eyebrow.

Abbie's jaw tightened, her nostrils flared. "Piltover had been my protector from the ones that seeked us. It has been my home since the day I stepped onto the city streets. It gave me opportunities to keep my brother and I safe."

Gerald gave a low chuckle. He looked over to Elric with a wry grin. "The thing about red heads, boy, is that they have fiery tempers. She got that from her feisty mother. Tarra Preston lives strong in you, girl." He spits again and reaches into his overcoat, taking out a seashell pipe and stuffed tobacco into the bowl. He placed the pipe between his chapped lips and patted his pockets for a pack of matches. His old fingers took one of the fragile sticks and hits the flint along the purple striker patch. Flame licked at the small stick as it was transported over to the bowl. Smoke billowed out and the fisherman gave a low sigh. "Yer too much like yer mother, Abigail Preston. You have her temper and her way with words. Don't forget where ya came from, lass." He repeats taking another long drag from the pipe. "You may be disregarding your birthplace, but ya still have folks that'll give their last breath for ye. Don't forget the ones that got you to where ya are today."

Abbie nods carefully. "I understand, Gerald. I do count my lucky stars that you helped us get out of there."

"Aye, Lass, no need for that. Yer mother had helped me in similar ways and yer father's netting skills aided me many a times. It was only the right thing to do." Gerald takes another long puff of his pipe and points toward the tall girl. "However, if ye change yer mind about comin' home, I have more then enough accommodations and work for yer brother and ye. Even the lad here, he seems like he could haul large nets."

"I appreciate it, Gerald." Abbie says politely as she steps back, pulling Elric by the hand.

"Wait now, lass." Gerald pushed forward and wrapped his arms around Abigail, putting his palm onto the back of her head and squeezing her reassuringly. "I come to the market quite often. Pop by anytime, lass. It's good to see yer face and I would love to get a glimpse of young Alexander."

Abbie closed her eyes to the embrace. Gerald smelled like the sea and tobacco, a familiar scent that made her heart lurch. "I'll bring him round. I think that would be good for him, to see you." Abbie whispered.

Gerald patted her back reassuringly. "Now, take your blonde boy and continue on yer way, lass."

"My name's Elric." Elric greeted, putting his hand out in front of him.

Gerald chuckled. "I don't care, boy. What I do care about is that ya keep her safe from harm, or I'll gut ye like a snag."

Elric grinned wryly. "Of course, sir."

"Don't call me sir, boy." Gerald scoffed. "That was me father that ye would've called sir. Not aye, ya blonde dimwit."

Elric replied with a throaty laugh to which Gerald raised an eyebrow. Abbie rolled her chocolate brown eyes and tugged Elric along, raising a small wave to bid goodbye to the old fisherman.

"I like him." Elric mentioned as they continued along their path.

"He was my father's best friend and my mother's cousin. He was quite close with us. When Gangplank murdered my parents, Gerald took me and my brother out to sea to hide. He took us here, while he figured things out in the city. I never heard back from him again." Abbie admitted letting her eyes focus on her feet as she moved languidly among the market's small crowd.

Elric gave a slight 'oh' as he followed beside her. He reached for her, clasping her freckled hand, giving her a reassuring squeeze. She turned her head to him giving a small sad smile.

"He's a good man." Elric noted.

"The best of them." Abbie remarked with a sigh.

The large manor loomed over the two figures. The wrought iron gate, was rusted and entwined in forest green vines. A large golden griffin, hung poised, guarding the gate, with carefully sculpted eyes. An overgrown hedge took to it's wild growing ways and splayed over the overgrown grass accommodating the front of the manor. A small stone path led the way to the Dark blue doorway. Window panes looked cracked and beaten from years of neglect and hard weather. The three story tall manor, even through it's years of abuse, stood tall in it's marbled grace, resting on to the great hillside of the Piltovian upper city, giving a clear view of the Gulch. To the East of them stood the tall megalithic buildings of Piltover city and the two towers of city hall standing side by side at founder's square.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Abbie asked again as she stood in awe to the manor.

Elric took a large breath as he regarded his childhood home. "I need to do this. We need to learn my father's secret." He mumbles out as he digs his hands into his overcoat pockets.

Abbie nodded.

She centered herself, and raised her fists up to her face. With a grunt she leaned into her back leg and slammed her heel into the rusted gate, breaking the lock. With a high screech, the gate swung open.

Elric took quiet steps up the manor pathway. His sapphire eyes, regarded the front garden where his mother would spend countless hours with their beloved maid/nanny Rose, peeling away weeds and watering the flowers. He turned his gaze to a very large willow tree, where a decrepit looking tire swing, swung eerily with the oncoming winter breeze. He smiled widely as his mind recounted the days spent under the bows of that tree. Him and Dakota would scale the lengths and huddle together by the roots as the sun would stream through the willow's veil of leaves.

He would have to take her to their secret hidey hole again.

His heart clenched at the sight of a gazebo that made home beside the gardens. His father and mother would spend their summers with a good book and tea, lounging in the gazebo's safety while their two children played among the throws of hedges and lawns.

Elric hadn't realised he froze, until Abbie pressed her fingers into his wrist. "Come on, love." She whispered as she led the way to the front entrance. Their boots thud against the wood of Elric's porch.

"I'll have to break the door down." Abbie muttered as she tried to open the door. She shouldered it a few times before Elric clapped a hand on her waist.

Abbie trained her gaze on Elric as he bent low, reaching underneath the wood slats and pulling out a rock. He flipped the rock upside down and dug his thumb into a latch. With a few shakes the latch opened up to a compartment with a silver key.

Abbie rolled her eyes. "Of course. A front key."

Elric gave a mischievous grin. "I was quite the forgetful child and would lose my house keys. So I hid a spare just in case."

"Smart."

Elric tapped his head. "I'm not just good for looks, you know."

"You doorknob." Abbie giggled as Elric unlocked the front door and entered.

Elric took a deep breath in. It smelled of sunshine, mint, honey and dust. "It still smells like them." He whispered. His eyes travelled to large a family portrait that hung above the marble staircase. A white sheet hung over the canvas. His eyes then went to the massive den. The burgundy walls covered in dust and the carpeting untouched. White sheets hung over the furniture like ghosts trapped in the manor.

He pointed toward the marble steps. " My father and mother's study are up the stairs. That's where we will be able to find the information we need."

Abbie nodded and followed Elric up the stairs. At the landing they came upon the dark heavy double doors. With a grunt he pushed them open revealing two large desks at either side of the massive room. A gold chandelier hung from the high ceiling. Book shelves lined the forest green walls. At the very center of the room, the Sampson family emblem was engraved into the marble tile. A golden griffin perched proud and strong with one leg raised and wings pulled back. Elric strode over to the farthest desk and wrenched open every drawer. His hands came upon anatomical magazines and texts of human and yordle bodies. Abbie stood behind him looking at the massive room around them.

"I knew your father was a doctor, but I didn't know Doctors made that kind of money. Did your mother also share a similar profession?" She asked.

"My mother was a civil engineer. She designed city hall and helped out with the construction on the University." He gestured to the drafting table beside the desk that was across the room. "She was paid much more than he was. " Elric then turned his attention to medical manila folders. "Well look at this, they didn't remove any of his files." He thumbed through the names, taking care not to bend or disturb the personal files of Dr. Eli Sampson's patients. "Ahh found them." He pulled out a particular set and slapped it on the desk.

"Good find." Abbie pursed her lips as she cocked her head to the side.

The folder was of the Sampson family. The names of Elric, his mother, father and sister, placed into one yellowed folder.

"He had a file on himself?" Abbie asked.

"He had copies made of all of his patients, so that he could study them. He had a file on himself so that if anything were to happen to Dakota or I that involved a genetic disease he could study our mother and himself to find the carrier and act upon it swiftly."

"That was wise of him." Abbie mentioned her thumb going over Elric's name. "He made the search one hell of alot easier." Her eyes then travelled to Dakota's name, her fingers gliding over the thick paper of the folders.

"Indeed he did." Elric replied as he pulled his father's folder in front of him. His calloused fingers flipped through reports and past notes of former doctors. His eyes glanced over every loop and dotted 'i'. "Well you were right, Abbie." He whispered silently, letting his fingers trail over the words: _Healing Mage Class 2._

"Dad had magicks, just like you thought." He said with intrigue lining his voice."Did you see if they said anything about that in my file?" He looked up to the redhead who stood frozen with Dakota's file open wide.

She covered her mouth in shock.

"Abbie?" Concern lined his vocal cords as he stood from his father's desk and approached the taller woman.

Her chocolate brown eyes widened in fear as he reached for the file folder. She quickly clapped the folder closed in a desperate haste, hiding whatever it was from his inquiring eyes. "Elric, no. Please." She clutched the manalia to her chest as she locked eyes with him.

"Abbie, what is in Dakota's file?" He asked calmly, reaching his hand out.

Abbie furrowed her brow. She sighed heavily and passed the file over. "Elric, jus-"

Elric gave her a scolding look, making her shut her mouth instantly.

He opened the file with caution, as if whatever the terrible news was, was going to attack him. he took a large breath as his eyes crawled over the first page explaining everything about Dakota.

 _Name: Dakota Sarah Sampson_

 _Birthdate: October 28th 14CLE_

 _Birth Hospital: Piltover General Public Hospital_

 _Sex: F_

 _Eye Colour: Blue_

 _Hair Colour: Black_

 _Body type: Mesomorph_

 _Blood type: O -_

 _Vaccinated: Yes_

 _Mother: Caitlyn Marian Deramore_

 _Father: Unknown_

{Cryptex- Nightwatch}

The explosion rocked the city with a terrifying clatter.

Her eyes snapped to the scenery before her. Plumes of smoke rose to the city skyline, like dark grey dragons, snaking their way to the clouds. It didn't take long for the beautiful sunny day to turn dark and desolate as screams echoed from the market square. The two teenagers looked up to the sky as the civilians rushed past them, like cattle escaping the slaughterhouse.

Terror rained down on Piltover.

And it was the second most beautiful thing she had seen in her life.

"Well, there goes our trip to the sword store. We better get back to HQ!" The tall boy clapped her shoulder in earnesty. "We'll be getting orders!"

She raised a lilac eyebrow toward the red headed boy. "And why the fuck do you think I care?"

He gave a cocky side smile as he took quick bouncy steps backward. He extended his long tanned and freckled arms as he put his head back and laughed to the darkening sky. "Because we get to kick the shit outta the poor unfortunate asshole, who decided to fuck with Piltover!"

She pursed her lips and nodded thoughtfully. "Well now that you put it like that, Alex. I certainly get to give a fuck in this terrible dilemma."

"Damn straight sister, now let's go break some teeth." The Eighteen year old crooned, putting his arm around Illya's neck.

"For the first time since meeting you Alex, that has been the most intelligent thing you said."

{Koda- New Blood}

He overlooked the city with Amber eyes, letting his optics clack and whirr as they regard the rushing city streets. He focuses in on the town square, reviewing facial recognition sequences as he goes through every running civilian. He was on the roof ledge of the University of Techmaturgy, his metal hands curled behind his back and his third hand holding his great staff. He allows his eyes to sweep the market one more time, before he begins his search some place else.

It is then that he catches the familiar mop of shoulder length lilac hair moving fluidly against the rushing mass of humans and yordles trying to escape before the terror comes their way. Behind her is a tall teenager, who excitedly bounces on the balls of his feet.

"Move out of the way people, fifty-first trying to get through!" He could hear the young man bellowing out.

"Heh, poor company you have chosen to surround yourself with, raven child." He growls under his breath. He takes a step off the ledge, letting himself drop the fifteen stories to the cobbled streets. He hears bloodcurdling screams as he rises from his crater. The townsfolk scurry away from his form as he strides forward, pushing them out of his way as he quickly approaches the lilac haired girl.

Within seconds he is behind the tall red headed boy. He grabs at the young man's jacket pulling him back and throwing him into the base of the clock tower.

Illya is quick to turn on her heels as she hears Alex's scream. Her emerald green eyes slit into focus as the machine herald grabs her by the shirt front and drags her to a nearby stall.

With a sickening crunch, he slams the seventeen year old into the brick wall of the city centre, crashing through the stall's wooden sides, splintering it's remnants and digging sharp wood into her spine. His third hand wraps it's metallic fingers around her neck, pinning her there.

"Your father is very displeased." Viktor hisses out angrily.

Illya's eyes travel to Alex's unconscious form. His gangly limbs are sprawled out onto the cobbled street and blood spills in a stream down the side of his face.

"Morning, professor." Illya grits out, keeping her gaze steady as she locks focus with his amber optics. "What brings you to this fine city of progress?" She manages out. She is trying to control her instincts from writhing out. If she stays calm she could find a way to break the machine herald's grip round her throat.

"Don't be coy with me, girl." He seethes, tightening his escapes her lips as her face begins to redden. "If you had went ahead with your alterations, you wouldn't have to deal with me choking the life out of you."

"But..this...is..my..plan." She wheezes out. Why wasn't the ruin magic working. Shouldn't she be all green and glowy right now.

"Plan?" He asks curiously.

"Let….breathe."

With a grunt he releases her. She gasps out as air returns into her airways.

"Speak, or forever hold your tongue." He crosses his arms over his chest, looking at the girl with a scolding expression. She felt like a child being disciplined.

She stands up straight and dusts off the front of her light grey long sleeved shirt. An arrogant grin spread through her full lips.

"You're lookin' good, Viktor. Got any new improvements lately? Really works well with your form."

"Get on with it!" He snarls warningly raising his staff threateningly to the Noxian.

It's then that she feels _it_.

The fire comes into her veins like a tsunami. She pulls her head back and gasps at the sensation as it washes through her. The runic scars under her skin glow bright green, and her emerald eyes turn into a wash of light.

A sinister smile plays on her wicked lips. With a thundering crack, she slams her knee into Viktor's stomach. She hits the still squishy humanlike flesh making the machine herald gasp. She turns their position and with a deafening thud slams him into the brick and mortar.

" _You_ will tell my father, that I am still working toward his goal. _You_ will notify him that I am behind enemy lines, gathering vital information. _You_ will inform him that I am with the enemy's elite soldiers and that I am learning how to destroy them one by one. _You_ will explain that I will be sending a raven over with a report at the end of the month." She bares her teeth and presses her face into his personal space. "Is there anything that seems unclear, machine herald?" She hisses out.

Viktor is unmoving and emotionless.

"You understand that he will be furious, right?"

Illya chuckles darkly as her knuckles tighten around his dark blue tunic. "Let him know that I've gained the trust of the Sheriff of Piltover, as well as her spawn."

"Spawn?" Viktor raises an eyebrow. "Caitlyn Deramore, does not have any children." He scoffs.

"Not officially. Her own daughter has no idea of her lineage, but the Sheriff is attached. She is very close to her soldier." Illya snickers evilly.

"And how did you learn of this?" Viktor asks with great skepticism.

"It's painfully obvious." Illya checks her nails. "But to be safe I checked into the soldier's family private files. The have the same blood type for Valoran sakes."

This throws a great opportunity for their master plan. She could easily annihilate Piltover's only hope of survival. A pleased noise comes from the back of his throat.

"Your father is very wrong about you." Viktor begins. "You are quite the powerful heir. Well done, raven child."

Illya's face turns into a snarl. "You will never call me _that_ again, machine herald, if you plan on living to see your plan come to works." She threatens. "I will not hesitate to tear you apart."

A remnant of human fear registers into his brain.

He watches as Illya's expression changes. "I hear one of them approaching." She whispers hurriedly. She changes their position again, making Viktor pin her to the wall. "Let me go, Machine Herald!" She bellows nastily.

She tries her hardest to look like she's struggling.

"Viktor." A young man bellows.

He is rather tall for a mage. His dark skin is aglow with intricate purple vines. His sea green eyes are fearfully focused onto the machine herald. He is lanky and thin, looking like he could handle a small scrap, but if it came to it he'd rather fight with his power than anything. His short black hair is shaved at the sides, with wiry curls at the top of his skull, just like his fallen compatriot by the clock tower. He is wearing very light chest armor along his short purple mage robes. He is levitating from his perch, twirling purple glowing energy in his wide hands.

"Matais get Alex out of here!" Illya pleads, as she breaks the machine heralds hold and sweeps his feet underneath him.

The young man nods his head as he moves forward ducking under Viktor's laser. He slides to his knees and grabs the younger man's arms. He drags the skinny teenager out of the square with haste.

Illya flips backward and avoids another beam of energy lazily being directed her way. She has her back pressed against the wall and it seems like eternity until Matais comes back, wailing curses and hexes as he throws up shards of crystal into the air. Energy cascades and bombards the machine herald. With an explosion of dust, the machine herald disappears, into the chaotic fray escaping out of the City of Progress unscathed.

It isn't long until his 'partner in crime' or so she called it, had returned to their meeting spot. She is sporting a rather nasty looking break in her collar bone and femur. Her smile is bloody and psychotic with passionate energy. As she limps toward the machine herald, she places the strands of hair in his palm.

"I did what you said. I have Hat Lady's doppelganger's DNA. She did this to me ya know." She spits to the side with a malevolent smile. A tooth is in the bloody sludge. "I need to fight her again, metal man. Holy jeeze, it was Exhilarating!" She croons in a sing songy voice. "She had the blood lust! The passion! I want her!"

Her breathing is laboured as she flails her arms, ignoring the obvious agonizing pain she was in.

He chuckles darkly as an idea strikes his mind. "How would you like some improvements before you go into battle again, menace?" He asks, watching the maniacs psychotic energy increase even more.

(fifteen minutes after the explosion) {Koda-The Warmth}

Her icy eyes snap open to the sound of maniacal cackling.

Then she hears the roar of pain and anger.

She's hanging upside down. Her seat belt is keeping her dangling and from falling to the glass shrouded roof of the rolled over hexmobile.

 _Headlights reflect off the raindrops, blinding her. Her mother's scream echoes in her skull. Her sapphire eyes lifeless and cold. Blood, so much blood. Elric screaming her name as he is dragged out of the wreckage._

 _Blood, so much blood._

She tries to shake the images out of her head. She looks to her hands, they blur from her now grown hands, to the bloodied hands of a seven year old.

No.

She uses that word to anchor herself as she focuses. She calms her beating heart and the oncoming anxiety attack.

"Caitlyn. Listen to me." It's Vi's voice. It's husky and pain filled, on the verge of breaking, but filled with rage induced determination. "Take the fucking shot!"

"Jinx, let her go now!" Caitlyn's voice demands with a fury unlike anything she has ever heard before.

"Where's the fun in that, Hat lady." The psychotic voice sings out playfully.

There's a sickening crunch and Vi bellows out.

"Vi!" Caitlyn calls out with extreme urgency. "This is your last chance. Let her go, or I'll shoot!"

She reacts with her training. She quietly unclips her seat belt. She holds herself from falling face first into the glass pile. She's crouched low and slithers out of the broken passenger window. She cranes her neck to the scene inspecting the stand off. Vi is on her knees. Her arms look dislocated and her head is bleeding. Behind her is the loose cannon, holding Vi down with her feet on the back of Vi's calves. Her small hands have snared her finger's into Vi's pink locks pulling at the longer side of her mane. Her other hand holds Zap directly against Vi's skull.

Caitlyn stands in front with her hextech pistol raised and loaded. She's shaking in fury and fresh tears fall from her face. There are scratches all over her pale arms and legs.

Her gut clenches with protective power. Her anger rises in a tide of flurried ice and blood lust.

Dakota, takes a large breath, trying to shake the fury rising in her. She begins to formulate a plan in her brain. She slides onto her stomach and crawls quietly so that she positions herself behind Jinx. She pushes her back up against a chunk of blown out roadway, using the rubble as cover. Her fingers grab at a medium sized stone that litters the stretch of highway. She tests the weight as she tosses the stone up and down, feeling satisfied and comfortable, she goes over the plan through her mind one more time.

She hurdles over the rubble causing enough noise to get the attention of the loose cannon who turns to face the unexpected teenager. Dakota gives out the loudest battle cry and whips the stone forward.

It connects into the middle of Jinx's forehead, causing the bluette to fall backwards with a terrified cry. Dakota closes the distance and spear tackles the frail marksmen into the ground. She slams the tiny woman into the road with as much force as she could put into it.

The loose cannon gasps out in surprise and rabbit kicks Dakota, trying to scramble for some kind of escape.

Dakota roars out in anger and lashes forward, grabbing the bluette's whipping braids. She turns her hips and connects her heel into the smaller woman's collarbone, making a sickening crack and the howl of the maniac ring into the dark sky. She flips Jinx onto her back and straddles her hips. Her knuckles tighten into white knuckled terrifying balls.

Jinx whimpers as Dakota begins her tyrannical punching spree into the bluette's face.

It feels good to lose yourself in the blood lusted rhythm of anger and rage. She watches as her helpless victim tries to fend off her fists and it fills her with masochistic joy .With a snarl so terrifying, she swats away the loose cannon's attempts to defend herself.

Dakota rises to her feet, dragging the maniac by her belts. Her icy eyes are shards of the arctic winds. She slams her foot into Jinx's thigh, causing the loose cannon to scream in agony as her femur is split in half.

"You don't fucking touch them!" Dakota snarls, her chest heaving as she lifts the loose cannon into the air. Like a rag doll, Jinx sails into the darkened sky and lands a few feet away.

Dread rises in the loose cannon as the teenager approaches with fiery fury. Her fists gather round blue braids and she yanks up causing Jinx to yelp. If the bluette doesn't do anything, this angel of fury would surely take the maniacs life with disturbing violence.

With shaking hands the bluette pulls onto the belt around her waist extracting a chomping grenade.

With a sadistic laugh, she pulls the pin.

Dakota's eyes widen at the recognition. She dives away just as the explosion goes off, throwing her into the side of the rubble chunk, her head cracking into the concrete, taking Dakota into the land of the unconscious.

( Five hours later) {Koven-Final Call}

He reports the incident without fear, letting his robotic third arm scrawl along the parchment. AuG sits patiently by his right side, letting his metal legs swing absentmindedly. He finishes the final sentence, signs it and seals it with wax.

He turns his attention to AuG. "Ensure that this gets in the hand of the grand general. Only to him, is that understood AuG?"

The robot boy nods his head. "Yes father. I will deliver this to only the grand general."

"Now be gone, I've work to finish." Viktor demands as he opens his leather bound book. He flips to a blank page and begins his sketching as his brain conjures up his next genius. The figure he draws inspires a slight turn of his lips to go toward the sky.

"She will lead our war machine." He mutters to no one in particular. His pencil scratches in armor, weapons and even the possible mechanisms that may or may not be used in the design. For now he has the basic concept, the basic shapes, but give him a few hours and it will turn into the most detailed document created in Valoran.

(The next day) {Imogen Heap- You Know Where To Find Me}

She freezes in the Hallway as she regards the two soldiers. Their backs are pressed into her door and their head rest on each other. Abbie is huddled in an over sized hoodie, while Elric is in a tight knit shirt and a pair of training shorts. His knees are pulled up to his chest and his arms are folded onto of his knees.

Their forms are seated in a blissful rest that relies solely on the support of each other.

She sighs heavily and strides along. She has a cup of tea in one hand and a pile of paperwork in the other.

"Ahem." Caitlyn calls out.

Elric jumps immediately and shoots to his feet. Abbie groans, but when she realises Caitlyn is standing in front of her she stands beside Elric. Her face focused and emotionless.

"Sheriff." Elric calls out. His groggy voice is heavily accented by his birthland, just as Dakota's is when she wakes up. Her lips turn up slightly at the fact.

"Good morning , Elric. Why in the void are you and Abigail, camped out in front of my office?" She asks raising her brow.

Elric's usual smiling face has befallen to seriousness, which sets Caitlyn on edge. "Is everything ok, Elric?"

"We need to talk." He jumps to the point moving out of the way as Caitlyn sets the key into her office turn and turns the knob. "I understand you're busy, but I need answers. And since Dakota isn't nearby, we can have this conversation without her interrupting and finding anything out."

She raises an eyebrow to Elric's challenging stance. "Speaking of Dakota, how are your siblings? Have they released them from the hospital yet?" Of course Caitlyn knows the answer to this, she had spent the night at the hospital with Vi, waiting to hear from the nurses that Dakota had awoken from her unconscious state.

"They won't let us near them, until they wake up and are ready to discharged." Abbie growled, clearly agitated and frustrated.

"I see." Caitlyn says as she enters into her office. "Well let's chat quickly then. They may wake soon, and I do have to deal with these damage statements."

Elric nods. He faces Abbie and she bobs her head in agreement as she waits crossed armed in front of the door. Elric shuts the oak and strides over to the arm chairs at the front of her desk.

"Why does Abbie need to guard the doorway?" Caitlyn questions, taking a sip of her take away tea.

"Because this must not be interrupted in anyway possible." Elric replies calmly. He reaches into the pocket of his pants and produces Dakota's basic medical information page. "Can you explain to me why you are listed as her mother?" His sapphire orbs pierce into Caitlyn's soul as her heart freezes.

"Where did you find this?" She asks quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I was looking for some information about my father. Abbie and I went to the manor to see if we could find anything. We did, but it wasn't what we were expecting."

Caitlyn places the sheet of paper before her. She drags her fingers through her long raven black hair. She exhales and looks directly into Elric's eyes.

"Are you sure you want to know about this, Elric Sampson?" Caitlyn demands keeping her gaze steady with his.

"I do." He replied without any hints of hesitation.

"Dakota is my daughter and your parents adopted her from me." Caitlyn began.

 **AN- How will Elric deal with learning about Caitlyn's secret? *cue soap opera theme song here* Find out next time!**


	14. Chapter 14: Luck and Balls

_**AN- Hey bbs. Glad to see you all again. I have returned with another chapter of the sheriff and the soldier and I really hope you enjoy this chapter. I would love to hear from you guys and what you all think about the storyline so far! I love to get feedback and getting reviews is also awesome, so please keep leaving them, they inspire me a lot. Ok enough rambling. Please enjoy bbs.**_

{Coldplay-Midnight}

Eyes flutter open.

A deep breath sighs out in the silence.

The covers are easily pushed away.

Feet touch the cold linoleum causing shivers up arms that are attached to IV's and other devices.

A grunt is uttered as dexterous fingers grip the tubes and with a solid yank they come undone from her skin.

Restlessness is taking over her mind. She wants to be moving, to be active, to feed a hunger that demands to be satisfied again.

Her body feels battered and bruised, but her mind feels awakened.

She rises, easily keeping herself up, despite the wicked pounding in her head.

Her eyes flicker to a floor to ceiling window as the view of the city is drenched in the early morning sunlight of the dawn.

Fingers press against glass as she approaches the window.

 _The city lives_

Cold blue irises widen as a barely there smile tugs at the corner of her lips. Her hair falls in front of her eyes as a small chuckle bubbles from her throat.

 _And so does she_

Luck ensured she survived.

But somewhere in her mind something sinister whispers.

 _Someday, that luck is going to run out._

(Where we last left off) {Enkidu- Falling}

It was so blurted, deadpanned, numb and impassive that Elric's jaw dropped.

It was like she had rehearsed it multiple times.

She had looked exhausted beyond belief, with darker circles than usual curling under her beautiful ice blue eyes. Her usually tidied hair was held back in a loose ponytail, letting loose strands, tickle the back of her pale slender neck. A frown was etched into her thin lips as she waited for Elric's response.

 _Gods, how could I_ _ **not**_ _see Caitlyn in Dakota. How could I miss those eyes?_ He asks himself.

In all honesty…

He couldn't make heads or tails of the situation. For the first time in a long time, Elric was speechless.

Caitlyn's hues reached to Elric's and in that moment Elric had sensed a world of sadness and regret that he would never truly understand.

"I was young, Elric." She whispered. "I was young and innocent."

"How?" Elric questioned immediately, a sour note hitting his vocal chords. "Some young man you were in love with? Some stupid teenage romance?"

Caitlyn scoffed. "I only wish, love." She took a large deep breath before she continued. "I was attacked by a man who wanted nothing but vengeance." Her icy blue eyes closed and her slender brows furrowed.

Elric's eyes snapped to Caitlyn.

"What led to her being in custody of my parents?" He whispers.

"Your parents had lost a child before, I… before Dakota was your sister." Caitlyn explained. "Your father was my doctor at the time and he looked so…" She took a shaky breath. "I had never seen such loss in a human being in my life, Elric. My father had insisted that I terminate the baby. I had a lot to think about and I had seen your mother and father crying. I asked them if they would adopt her. And well, she is your sister."

Elric's gut tightened as a dark thought passes through his mind.

 _She's not your sister. You're the only one left of your family._

 _You are alone._

His fists tighten into tight knuckles. He shouldn't be angry, he shouldn't be shaking, but he is and those ugly words keep going through his head.

Caitlyn's face falls in worry as she senses his inner turmoil. "She'll always be your sister, Elric. She will always be your family. You were the one that raised her, that watched her grow up. She may not be blood, but the bond you two share, is more than blood."

Elric nods with a sudden stiffness. His eyes look lost and hollow.

Caitlyn rises from her seat and strides over to Elric, wrapping her scratched and bruised arms around him.

He reacts to the embrace, like a drowning man reacts to a life preserver. He clings to her for dear life and holds her so tightly to his tall form. Caitlyn brushes her fingers through his hair and rubs soothing circles into his shoulders. He doesn't realise he's crying until he pulls away and wipes at his tanned cheeks.

Caitlyn gives him a sympathetic look and cups his cheek, letting her thumb wipe at a rogue tear.

"Cait," He manages quietly. "Are you going to tell her?"

Caitlyn sighs. "Your mother and I had planned on telling her when she turned eighteen, but times have changed. What do you think I should do Elric?" She asks sadly.

Elric sends a serious gaze toward Caitlyn. "Don't." He mutters. "Just don't. If she finds out, she finds out, but don't destroy her life."

(One week later) {Arctic Monkeys- Do I wanna Know?}

His frail fingers fold the parchment over as his grass green eyes read and re-read the cursive etched into the yellowed paper.

He clicks his tongue in displeasure . Perched on his shoulder, Beatrice gives a loud caw, that ruffles her gnarly feathers.

She is just as agitated as her master.

 _Grand General,_

 _As promised I have delivered a detailed report of the time I have spent away. Listed below are choke points and weaknesses that I have encountered in the city. I await your next orders. Currently I have been trusted with the likes of the elite after "Saving" a member. They form-_

He closes the parchment again.

His gnarled fingers flitter among the four eyed raven's side, making his beloved pet peck affectionately to the back of his hand. He reaches for a new parchment and dips his quill into ink.

 _Continue Infiltration. Further instructions to come. Do not under any circumstances lose sight of the main goal. You've thought very logically and have adapted efficiently._

He folds the parchment and ties it to his bird's leg, softly cooing to his pet. Her beak nuzzles into his scarred cheeks before her large wings spread and take flight.

He returns to the reports of the front lines, letting his eyes drift over the victories and plunder gained. This will easily keep the Demacians at bay, while he strategises his next attack.

A sense rises in him suddenly, making an evil sneer splay lazily at his lips. It is unknown to him, this emotion, more foreign than the lands he has conquered in the name of _his_ great and powerful nation.

Noxus is rising and hell hath no fury like Noxian bombardments.

A sudden knock picks at his hearing.

"Enter." He grunts, pulling another report in front of him.

The scarlet assassin strides in with a wolf like grin, that would turn any other man or woman into a puddle of piss and fear. Her piercing green eyes help darken the threatening smirk at her luscious red lips. She's covered in leathers and miscellaneous plates of thin metal over her shoulders, shins and her forearms. Her pale abdomen is exposed to the Noxian air, hinting at the curve of her hips, that would make most of the populace weak in the knees. She bears the Du Couteau emblem on her left shoulder that holds her leather belts together. Knives are adorned all over her person, placed in precarious zones for quick retrieval of the sharp objects. There's a tattoo in the shape of ancient runes scrawling up her left side, near that damned teasing waistline.

"Sinister Blade, what brings you to my quarters?" Swain asks, keeping his attention to the penmanship of his lieutenant general .

"I've been curious as to where my pupil is?" It's almost a snarl, but she knows better than to pick fights with the grand general.

"She does not need your tutelage anymore. She had been sent off onto another mission and I do not know nor do I care if she will return. Now, leave my quarters immediately miss Du Couteau." He dismisses.

"Rumours speak that you sent her off to Zaun." She ignores him and inspects her nails with a singular raised scarlet eyebrow.

He sighs deeply.

"That is not your concern." He keeps his voice even and commanding. "Your concern is to find the targets I assign for you and for you to annihilate them, just like your father and that decrepit street urchin he had raised. Now don't make the mistake of getting involved."

Her body shivers in agitation. No one disrespects her family like that. Talon may not be blood, but he is ever loyal and trusting and she would destroy anyone who ever lays a hand on him. "I don't make mistakes." She hisses, her hand subconsciously going to the scar that is engraved into her skin above her eyebrow to the middle of her cheek.

"Of course, Miss Du Couteau." He scoffs with venom dripping into his vocal tone. "Then you should know that prying, is a mistake." He growls warningly. "Since you are present in my chambers, I have an assignment for either you or the street rat." He sniffs. He tosses a folded and wax sealed parchment.

She peels the parchment open and zeroes in on the name. "A zaunite politician?" She questions. "Why not on the front lines? I hear a Demacian officer has been causing quite the trouble for our troops."

He chuckles. "Rumours are nothing but trouble, Miss Du Couteau. I thought you were wise enough to ignore such childish slander."

The sinister blade flips her hair back and nods. "I'll pack and be on my way, grand general." She mutters, taking strides toward the exit, with white knuckles grasped in anger.

"Good," He replies with a sinister grin. "And be sure to turn this one into an example." He adds, watching the furious red head leave his chamber.

(Two days later) {Stuck in the Sound- Brother}

"This is porposterous!" His jowls slap against each other and spittle runs out of his lips. He presses his meaty hands to the rim of his glasses as he pushes them up his face. He smooths the front of his expensive suit and glares across the marble city hall to his political opponent.

"You're preposterous! We have a footing that can eradicate them finally!" His rival reciprocates.

"That is an entire race of innocent people! We may be powerful, but we are not monsters! We are not Noxians!"

"No. The Noxians are wiser than most give them credit for. They can pull entire countries down from the inside out."

He slams his large hands against the podium he leans on. His lips are turned up in a vexed snarl. "Have you ever thought that maybe that is what they are doing to us!" He bellows causing all the eyes in parliament to look at him with widen eyes as realization hits them."Noxus is capable of great things and they will stop at nothing to get what they want. And with Swain at the helm it will ruin Runeterra as we know it. Void knows the terror and destruction they could bring. I'm telling you now, if we join them under a banner we will be turned on in the end. Noxus is a blood thirsty warm machine, and once all the blood is spilled they will turn on their allies."

"Then we should be eager to join sides with them and keep in good prospects." A cold robotic voice calls out to the politicians. "Noxus may be a blood thirsty warm machine, but they are civilized. They understand their strengths and they destroy all weaknesses. If we prove we are strong and useful, we will survive."

Heads bob in agreement. Voices begin their chatter of possibilities.

"Of course you would say something in favour of the Noxians, Viktor." He snarls, glaring at the machine herald with threatening violence.

"Of course." Viktor chuckles. "They've given me work, and I understand why they are doing what they are doing. Come now, Greylis. They like what we do, why not succumb to their ways, and become a stronger more united Zaun."

The crowd of politicians let out a ruckus of sound. Most of them in agreement to the machine herald.

With an irritated huff, he stepped away from the podium and toward the great metal doors. He turned on his heels and pointed to the politicians. "Mark my words, joining the Noxians on their attack will end your so called united Zaun!" He screamed before ramming the doors open and leaving the parliament hall.

"Idiots." He muttered under his breath as his large hands went to his tie, loosening the silk around his large and sweaty neck. He traversed down the massive corridor to the exit, and hailed his personal electro-carriage. He sat and pondered the entire journey to his penthouse located in the middle of the smog filled city.

Maybe he could force the opposition into a stand still, if he could get the right argument across. Hopefully the scientist will back him up once he realises that joining the Noxians again will be the death of Zaun.

The electro carriage halts at the grandeur building and he exits without so much as a thank you to the driver. He mutters angrily as he stomps his large feet throughout the lobby. He takes the elevator and mumbles plans and tactics for coups d'etats. He will get his way, even if it kills him.

He presses into the door of his penthouse and is met with a rather large dagger pressed to his neck and a smaller knife pressed to his abdomen.

"Of course." He hisses out angrily. "They would send someone to deal with me."

He hears a feminine chuckle.

Then he feels boots pressed into his back as he is kicked forward and onto his knees.

"You should feel lucky. They sent out the best." Her luscious red lips twist up in a cocky smile. She saunters over to him like a cat to a trapped mouse. Her gloved slender fingers snare into his greasy dark green hair and tugs at it, making him yelp. "My my, you Zaunite politicians are all pigs."

She drags him into an arm chair, forcing him to sit with his back straight and his hands flat on the arms.

He looks up at her with furious squinted eyes.

She gives him a predatory look with an equally predatory grin.

Without so much of a blink, she slams a throwing knife into his left hand and then another into his right, making him bellow out in agony.

She rolls her eyes and reaches for the loosened tie around his neck, snapping at it to get his attention on her.

"I have questions." She asks nonchalantly.

"Like I would answer them." He snarls, tears trace down his large cheeks.

"I'm pretty sure you might want to answer them. It will ensure that you survive this dilemma." She teases, tapping a slim finger onto his nose. "Do you know anything about the raven child?" She asks casually.

"You mean Viktor's pet? She's long gone. Escaped from his lab after he experimented on her. Good riddance if you ask me. Rune magic should not be mustered onto a child like that." He hisses out.

A small prideful smile plays on her lips. Of course she would escape, she was trained by the best of Noxian assassins. But her ears pick at the sound of rune magic.

"What does Viktor have planned? And why did he experiment on her?" She snarls, pressing a new knife into his neck, letting the tip nick at his jugular.

"I don't know." He blubbers out in fear. "All I know is that Zaun and Noxus are to join again, and she was to be the pinnacle and leader of the united nation. She needed to be altered to better suit what the people needed. I am opposing to it, hence is why they sent you. All you Noxians are blood thirsty monsters, with lack of civility and order, why should Zaun, a state of great scientific exploration join with barbarians that want nothing but to conquer."

She chuckles darkly and raises a slim eyebrow. "That is where I would argue with you. We do not lack civility or order, however we are blood thirsty. We are ambitious." She chuckles with bright green eyes. "Now there must be rumours. Where did the Raven child escape to?"

He scoffs. "Like you think I would know where."

She snaps his tie, making him whimper. "As I said, there must be rumours." She growls threateningly.

"I don't know!" He bellows back.

She shakes her head in agitation. She unties his silk tie with harsh quick movements. She grabs at his jaw and bunches the tie into his mouth, making the man gag.

She twirls two knives with her fingers and slams them into his knee caps, making him scream into the tie gag.

"You could've answered me and saved yourself from all of this pain. I know that you know. I can see it in your rat like eyes." She snarls, tapping her fingers along his arm as she goes around him. She circles him like a shark in a tank. "I'm with you, by the way. I would rather watch Noxus burn to the ground, than let the Zaunites partner with us again." She states matter-of-factly. "You're all just a bunch of sniveling cowards, who can't let anyone die."

With aggressive speed, she fillets his stomach letting his entrails slip out. His panicked noises are muffled out by the silk tie. He watches in pure horror as his intestines writhe and wind onto the wooden floor. Blood gushes from him and his rat like eyes bulge out.

"See even in the face of death you pigs can't even control yourselves." She scrunches her nose in disgust. "You've pissed yourself."

She sighs heavily as she watches his eyes roll in the back of his head. "And you've gone unconscious. What a shame." She snorts.

She takes her daggers and rests them up against his neck and with a quick rotation of her wrists, she slits his neck. His blood didn't even spray her. Quite the shame indeed.

"Fucking waste of my time." She mutters as she dips two of her digits into the pool of blood at his feet. She begins to etch out a message against the massive window, trying to give the best and messiest dramatic effect.

She nods her head at her handy work and turns struts out of the penthouse leaving the door wide open. The body and the message large and present enough to catch the attention of any passersby.

As she leaves the building she can hear the blood curdling scream echo from the city streets.

The crowd on the streets begin to gasp and murmur as their eyes behold the massive _BLOOD FOR NOXUS_ splayed along the massive window for all to see.

With a wolf like grin, she buries her hands into her leather jacket and begins to whistle the Noxian anthem.

(One Week Later) {Novo Amor- Anchor}

She twirls lilac locks between long slender fingers. Her emerald eyes dance between the leather bound text in her hands and the two soldiers sparring. Her body is flat on her stomach on the squishy surface of the training mats, with her ankles crossed in the air. Beside her Matais flips through a spell book and Elric leans back on his hands watching his comrades struggle.

Dakota and Alex square off against each other. The lanky boy grins like wild fire, his mud brown eyes alight with dangerous energy. His freckled fists are held in front of his face and his stance is solid, unlike Dakota who searches for angles to beat out his reach. She is placed on the balls of her feet switching weight between each leg feigning attacks and bobbing out of the way of Alex's advances.

Abbie stands at the edge of the ring circling the two teenagers with a tilted head, watching them place strikes and advances. Her brows furrow as she watches Dakota duck and slide her back foot around so that she twirls against Alex's back, and making him over extend. She kicks the back of his knee, making him stumble forward and wraps her arms around his long neck putting him into a triangle choke.

"That's a mistake, Dakota." Abbie mutters out, as Alex counters Dakota and flips her onto her back without hesitation. Alex breaks off and rises out of his crouching position. "You had the right idea, but he has height on you. You have to compensate for that or that could have been the move to kill you."

Dakota gets up, her icy eyes locked on Alex like heat seeking ice covered missiles. She grits her teeth in agitation, letting a new found aggression roll through her body. She advances, feigning to attack his abdomen, but turns herself so that her back is pressed to his front. She kicks at his foot, setting him off balance. She reaches for his neck, pulling him down and uses her shoulder to throw him onto the matt. She then recovers and presses a knee into his chest. She about a release a fist into his jaw, when she is grabbed by the back of her training shirt and yanked back with so much force that she is thrown to the edge of the mats.

Abbie glowers at her standing protectively in front of her younger brother. "Keep your aggression in check, master corporal." Abbie snarls out.

Dakota crouches with a heaving chest. "I'm sorry." She mumbles out, looking to the mat underneath her. "I got a little too carried away."

Alex chuckles as he sits himself up. "I haven't seen that much calculated hate from you in a long time, ice queen." He grins wolfishly. "You might actually be getting better at this whole fighting thing."

"Oh shut it, Alex." Abbie barks. "You should have been able to read what she was doing, I thought I taught you better than that."

Alex rolls his eyes at his sister. "Yeah, yeah whatever, _Captain."_ He jeers. "One of us is going to lose in the long run, and you're still going to be mad at the loser."

Illya hears Matais sigh heavily. "He's going to get himself killed with that mouth of his." He flips to another page, his eyes glued to the print.

Elric chuckles. "Who do you think will get him first? Abbie or the enemy?"

Matais snorts. "Whoever can get their hands on his scrawny neck first."

Illya giggles. "They'll have to jump pretty high to get at him though, so Abbie has that advantage."

Elric throws his head back in laughter.

The door to the training room opens and Vi struts in the room and tosses her gym bag into a wall. Illya watches as Vi skips over to Dakota and wraps a muscular arm around her neck and brings the girl into a nuggie. Dakota keens out, trying to break loose of the pinkette's hold, to no avail.

"Dakota, enough fooling around." Abbie calls out standing at the edge of the mats with long arms crossed over her chest and a serious glower directed to the pinkette. "We haven't finished yet."

Dakota and Vi both look up innocently at the captain. Dakota is still in Vi's grasp as she rolls her eyes and easily slips out. Vi sucks her teeth as she furrows her brow toward Abbie. "Easy red, just having a lil' fun." Vi tips her chin up giving a wide grin to the redhead.

"Don't call me red, pinky." Abbie snaps back. "Dakota hurry up and get over here." She commands, making the sixteen year old frown and enter into the mats.

"Illya, mind if I use you for an exercise?" Abbie calls out.

The lilac haired girl raises her eyes to the captain. "You're very demanding. Why would I want to help you?"

"Because Dakota needs a partner and I know how much you love to beat on my little brother." Abbie explains.

Illya sighs as she debates what she would like to do.

Finish her invigorating book on Demacian tactics.

Or beat on that annoying shit.

She rises to her feet and rolls her shoulders. "Why the hell not? I could use a good spar."

"No way." Dakota argues. "I'm not partnering with her. We haven't worked together before and you and Alex are a two man army."

"I'll take Alex's place." Vi chirps in. "It'll be a little more interesting and a bit fair."

"That's not the point, Vi. I want her to get used to working with people she doesn't know on the fly. It'll teach her to be a more adaptive fighter." Abigail points out, getting herself into a strong stance.

"No way, man. I kind of want to see this." Alex says as he backs out of the circle. "You and Vi could be a powerhouse."

Illya snorts. "Nah, they have power, but their mobility is nothing compared to what Dakota and I are capable of. We could easily outfight them." She plays a cocky smile on her full lips and raises a slim lilac eyebrow to the two taller women in a silent challenge.

Abbie looks to Vi who chuckles darkly. "Oh sweetheart, I think you have that wrong."

"Let's make a wager then." Dakota adds, giving an arrogant smile to Abbie.

"The last wager you were involved in got you into a shit ton of trouble, Dakota." Abbie snips. "I don't think you have the right to know what a good bet is anymore."

"If we win, you ladies have to do our chores for the next week." Dakota begins, ignoring Abigail completely.

"And if we win?" Vi asks.

"We get to be your personal butlers for twenty four hours." Illya adds, making Dakota's head snap to her.

Vi grins widely. "Deal."

"Matais, ref for us." Abbie barks out.

The twenty-three year old rolled his eyes and sighs as he gets to his feet. "Why should I?"

"Because you are unbiased. You hate us all equally." Abbie jokes.

"It's not hate. I'm just done with your guys's shit, but I love you all, so I guess I'm stuck with you idiots."

"I'll take that as a compliment!" Elric calls as he and Alex both get comfortable for the upcoming bout between the four females.

Alex nudges Elric's shoulder and tips his chin toward the fighters. "Who do you think is going to take the win?"

Elric snorts. "For my personal safety, I am not going to answer that."

"You my friend, are wise."

Dakota rolls her shoulders and wiggles out her limbs, getting the muscles loose. Illya looks at her incredulously.

"What?" Dakota asks. "I like to be limbre. Don't want to pull something."

Illya palms her face. "I see why they consider you _special_ forces."

Dakota glares at Illya with ice like daggers. "Oh fuck off."

"We're off to a great start aren't we, darling Dakota." Illya jeers, nudging her elbow into Dakota's ribs.

"Bite me." The sixteen year old growls.

"I thought we went ove-" Illya is interrupted by Abbie's attempt to right hook her. Her guard arm is up and she stares at the attacker with a wide grin. "Now that was rude."

She ducks low, moving out of the way of another strike, batting away Abbie's arm. She takes the opening and goes to knee Abbie, but the redhead is quick to counter and takes Illya's off balance form and easily takes her down to the mat. Dakota lunges forward, tackling Abbie, before she can get on top of Illya, spearing the breath right out of the captain.

Vi is quick to move with a wild grin plastered onto her lips. She pulls at Dakota's shirt ripping her off of the twenty-two year old and throwing her toward Illya, knocking the two teenagers into each other. Illya grunts as she lands into the mats, trying to roll Dakota off her person.

They tumble and roll into a mess of limbs and cursing. "Get the hell off me." Dakota snarls as she pushes Illya off her chest and barely dodges Vi's curve-stomp. She somersaults to her feet and gets low as she weaves out of Vi's strike. She bobs to the right barely missing Abbie's attempt to get another takedown. Her eyes widen as her dodging takes her into the pathway of Vi's cross jab, that hits her like a fifteen ton dump truck.

She back pedals, moving quickly out of the way of Vi's speedy strikes. She leans back far enough to get Vi to over extend. She kicks at Vi's thigh, making the pinkette tilt forward. She slides behind Vi and quickly shoves Vi's back with her shoulder. She quickly wipes the blood streaming out of her nose as she strides over to Abbie, who is busy dealing with Illya. The Noxian is dancing around the fiery redhead. Illya has her placed so that Abbie's back is facing Dakota, who squats low, and wraps her arms around the captain's knees, making the taller girl pinwheel forward. Illya takes the open chance and lands a solid kick into Abbie's chest making her fall back. The two younger teenagers, immediately pin the redhead to the mat, getting Matais to call Abbie's dismissal from the fight.

Abbie begrudgingly gets out of the red ring drawn on the mats and watches at the edge with burning angry eyes.

Her pride took a good hit.

The two girls stand up and face Vi, who chuckles darkly.

"You've gotten faster." She tips her chin at Dakota.

The girl grins. "Learned from the best." She raises her fists to her face and hops from foot to foot. She's facing Vi at a diagonal with Illya flanking her.

Vi throws back her head and laughs. "Alright, I ain't losing to a bunch a kids." She taps her knuckles together and sets her body up into a defensive stance. She goes from foot to foot, her eyes going from Illya to Dakota.

The younger of the two, takes the first advance, testing Vi's reach. Dakota barely moves out of the way of Vi's defensive strike and blocks her head using her guard arm to take Vi's left hook, making the sixteen year old grunt heavily. Vi swivels and has enough time to block Illya's kick to her thigh and grabs at the seventeen year olds foot holding it against her side.

"Rude." Illya barks, as Vi kicks Illya's other foot out, getting the girl to fall on her ass. Vi quickly ducks Dakota's sweeping arm, and drops the lilac haired girl's foot as she tackles, the raven haired girl to the blue mat floor.

Dakota writhes and kicks out as she tries to break Vi's pin. She has enough time to buck her hips forward, throwing Vi off and rolling out of the pinkette's reach.

"Dakota, duck!" Illya screams as she places her hand on the crouching girl's shoulder, vaulting herself forward. The raven haired girl ducks her head in time to dodge Illya's fast moving form. Both of the Noxian's feet slam into Vi, who is just getting up from Dakota's break.

Vi calls out angrily as she is taken back to the matt. Instantly, she feels Dakota's weight onto her waist as the girl sets up from a proper pin. She sits up quickly pulling Dakota up with a snarl. Dakota, pushes against Vi's chest, struggling to put her weight into Vi. Illya quickly responds by grabbing Vi's wrist and detaching her hand from the front of Dakota's training shirt.

"C'mon Vi!" The pinkette hears from Abbie, who is practically screaming on the sidelines.

Illya sets up for an armbar and that is when Vi panics.

"No!" She bellows, trying desperately to roll toward Illya, but Dakota's knee at her neck has her unmoving. She tries to get her legs up to knee, or wiggle enough room to keep the lever action from Illya's hips to get out of the armbar. Dakota senses the movement and before Vi's knee connects into Illya's face, she blocks it and moves to straddle Vi's legs and hold her other arm at her side.

"Five seconds." Matais calls out. "Vi you're done. Illya and Dakota take it."

Vi stops her struggling and groans as she lets her head rest against the matts.

Dakota is stunned as she gets off of Vi.

Illya rolls off and instantly hops to her feet.

"Easy."

"How in the fuck?" Dakota questions as she looks Illya up and down. "We… you.. How did we do that?"

"Teamwork, numbnuts. It's not often that people listen when I tell them to do something. Maybe that's the soldier trait in you. When someone screams an order you respond quickly. That's what saved us, because she was about to take the two of us out." Illya raises an appreciative eyebrow at Dakota. "I'm impressed soldier." She purrs as she reaches Dakota's face, and let's her thumb glide over the stream of blood coming from her small round nose.

Dakota's cheeks flush at the touch and she looks away from Illya. She turns her body and extends a hand to Vi, hefting the taller woman to her feet.

"I demand a fucking rematch." Vi orders sourly. "Abbie we can take 'em. Let's go."

(That Night) {Wonder-Finding Hope}

Slender fingers slide through pink hair and caress the brawler's scalp.

"She's improved so much, Cupcake." Vi mumbles out sleepily. Her head is in her sheriff's lap. Caitlyn was absentmindedly playing with Vi's hair as her eyes reviewed a case file. The two women were set in the warmth of a soft fluffy blanket and the embrace of their velvet couch. Caitlyn's legs curled around Vi's prone body and underneath the warmth. Winter was definitely in Piltover, causing its citizens to shudder and huddle in warmer material.

"She's gotten so fast, and she can actually punch now. It's crazy how quickly she learns." Caitlyn's looks away from her paperwork and brushes the long side of Vi's hair behind the shell of her pierced ear. Vi's violet hues are close to falling closed for the rest of the night to dream of baked goods and punching perps to a pulp.

"Did you know she learned how to blacksmith, just by watching the smiths on her days off?" Vi quipped quietly, nuzzling herself further into Caitlyn. "She would spend literal hours just watching these people work, and that's how she learned."

Caitlyn smiles sweetly to Vi. "I'm glad the two of you could get a long."

"Me too." Vi sighs out. "I know it's going to sound weird, but she's like the kid sister I never had."

Caitlyn chuckles and runs her fingers through the shorter side of Vi's hair to her strong jawline, tipping her chin toward the sheriff. "Come here, love." She whispers quietly, her icy eyes filled with love and undeniable affection. Dancing in the background of her irises is a small heated fire that Vi sees instantly.

She plasters a goofy smile on her lips as she pushes herself up and straddles the sheriff's lap, picking up parchments and case files as she goes. She places the kind of neat stack on the end table. She turns her attention back to Caitlyn and wraps her long toned arms around the sheriff's neck, pulling herself closer.

Their foreheads touch and Caitlyn hums as she closes her eyes to the sensation of how close Vi is to her. Her heartbeat jumps to her neck and she hopes Vi could feel her pulse jump excitedly through her arms. She tilts her head up to meet Vi's lips with her own, starting slow and easy, her fingers drifting to the seams of Vi's Piltover Police Department shirt. Vi's tongue darts out to trace Caitlyn's upper lip, making the sheriff groan and her fingers dig into Vi's midriff, going underneath the dark blue t-shirt. She feels Vi's stomach muscles contract to the electric shocks of Cait's roaming fingers and the kiss turns heated.

Caitlyn nips at Vi's lower lip, making the pinkette chuckle lowly. A small dangerous smile plays on her lips and her calloused hands capture Caitlyn's and pins them to the couch on either side of _her_ sheriff.

"Seems the sheriff finds I have been a bad, bad girl." Vi teases going to Caitlyn's neck and nipping along the skin of her collarbone to her taut muscles in her neck to the edge of her ear. "Too bad she can't catch me." She whispers into Cait's ear, making the sheriff roll her eyes, but she'll play along.

"I'll catch you and you'll regret running from me." Caitlyn growls teasingly, trying to reconnect Vi's lips with hers, but the pinkette has other ideas.

Vi hopped off her lap and sprinted toward their bedroom, she turns toward Caitlyn as she skids to a halt at the threshold. She leans back with arms crossed and her iconic side smile that drives Caitlyn up the wall.

Caitlyn rises from the couch and stares at Vi with a predatory smile. She bites at her lower lip and Caitlyn watches Vi gulp and her eyes drinking in Caitlyn.

"I ain't giving up." Vi growls playfully. "You'll never catch me alive."

Caitlyn smirks and instantly takes off after Vi, who darts into their room with an evil cackle.

(4 days later) {Caravan Palace-Dramophone}

Massive festivities occur in Piltover during the weeks leading up to Snowdown. The upper city bursts out in lights and balls, while the middle and lower city are decked out in festive wreaths and carnivals, and lots of street food.

Dakota can smell the snowdown cakes from where she stands guard at the front entrance of the city's dance hall. The upper city area is covered in finely dressed politicians and members of Piltover upper city aristocrats and well known noble families.

Some of the invitees are recognizable from her past. They smile at her, but give her a wide girth of space. She does not blame them, due to her sentinel's pose and intimidating armour dawned on her body.

Caitlyn had ordered the fifty first as well as some of her police officers to take up security at the annual Snowdown ball. Dakota was stationed with Elric at the front while Abbie, Alex and the six officers are placed inside the ballroom. Matais stands like a threatening gargoyle above Dakota on the rooftop. His sea green eyes are focused to each and every attendee, looking for signs of trouble.

"Dakota Sampson?" She hears someone call out in disbelief.

A tall young man strides over in a very expensive looking suit. His wavy black hair is slicked back and his lips are turned up in an uneven smile. His puppy dog brown eyes are alight with glee and excitement as he approached the teenager.

If it wasn't for his eyes, she would not have recognised the young man.

"Dakota, is this guy a friendly." She hears Matais's voice crackle in her ear piece.

"Yeah." She says in detest. "This idiot knew me when I was younger."

She can hear Elric chuckle lightly from the voice communicator. "The two of them had a falling out during a day in primary school. Apparently he thought he was the king of everyone and Dakota had promptly put him in his place, earning herself a month's detention and a massive scolding from our mother."

"Thatta girl." She could hear Abbie's voice giggle.

They could all hear the annoyed sigh as the young man approaches her.

"Alvin Coprello." She greets with little emotion, keeping her observing eyes on the crowd milling into the lavishly decorated ironwood doorway.

"I haven't seen you in the longest time. Whatever happened to you?" He asks curiously. "It's like you upped and left town. "

Dakota gave him an incredulous look. She sighs deeply and presses her fingers into the bridge of her nose. "Look Alvin, I have work to do. I don't need you distracting me, because if one bad thing happens tonight it's on me and my team's shoulders. So please for your safety and ours, I suggest that you leave me alone."

"Oh you're part of Piltover Company!" He exclaims, throwing his hands up in the air. His brown eyes go over her black chest and shoulder plates. His eyes then freeze at her metal axes that hang at her belt, before he returns his eyes back to her face."That's incredible. I just got placed into my father's law firm as an apprentice. I'll be taking over his place. If you want my parents and your parents could discuss a possible dowry and try our hand at courting."

"Don't kill him." She hears Matais warn half jokingly, half seriously.

Dakota blinks at the young man. "Alvin." She starts. "My parents were killed in a car accident nine years ago."

"Oh really?" He asks stupidly.

"Look Alvin, I'm not into pompous insensitive twats. I am not interested in your attempts into marriage, nor your attempts at feeble conversation. Now leave my sight, or I'll bar you from the ball." She snarls, making Alvin back off instantly, raising his hands in defense.

"You don't know what you're missing, Dakota. I am the best kind of catch." He points to her as he enters the ballroom.

"By the Void, Ice queen. I can feel the draft from here." Alex mutters out in the communicator making the three other members chuckle and Dakota mumble obscenities into the ear piece.

But three voices stop instantly as eyes at the entrance go to a singular person dressed in an elegant lilac cocktail dress.

"By the gods." Matais whispers out.

"What? Guys what's happening? You all stopped talking!" Abbie voices out in concern. "I'll get people out fro-"

"Abbie, love, it's ok. It's just Illya." Elric mentions, trying to avert his gaze from the Noxian girl.

Dakota however was the complete opposite. Her icy eyes were glued to Illya's form and a faint blush appeared onto her pale cheeks.

The Noxian's lilac hair was pulled up in an elegant form, exposing the back of her pale swan like neck and the gold stud earrings adorning her earlobes. Her emerald green eyes locked on to the soldier as she approached her. Her legs were exposed to the winter wind but Illya didn't seem to mind. Her full lips were brought up into a sultry smile.

"Good evening, soldier." She practically purrs to Dakota.

"Oh my gods, I think I'm going to puke." Alex calls out into the ear piece.

Illya smirks and leans in to Dakota's personal space. "Hi Alex. I hope you aren't annoying the rest of them."

Dakota snaps out of her gaze at Illya and snorts as she takes a step back. "When isn't he."

Illya raises an eyebrow to Dakota's reaction. "So, tell me. Do I look good?" She asks, winking to the sixteen year old, who returns to her flustered uneasy posture.

"Y-you look great. Good choice in colour." She mumbles out, averting her eyes from Illya's beautiful legs to the attendees entering into the ballroom. "Why are you here?" She asks, watching as the mayor and his wife take the steps. He nods his head to the soldiers who stand at attention and salute to the man.

Illya's eyes narrow in on the mayor.

That man was their leader?

What a joke.

"A Noxian diplomatic representative is here and the sheriff thought it would be wise for me to meet them." She answers as Dakota returns to her position, grasping her hands behind her back.

Dakota nods. "That would be good for you. Maybe you can negotiate a way to get back home."

Illya chuckles. "I don't think that will happen that easy. I may have to take it slower then I want, but it will be a good lesson in patience. Besides, this moronic city is starting to grow on me." She winks to Dakota and the sides of the teenager's lips tilt upwards slightly, hiding a wolf like grin.

"Damn cities." Dakota jokes.

"Well, I must lavish the populace with my grandeur form." Illya dramatically poses, making Dakota roll her eyes. "Ta ta!" Illya drifts with the rest of the crowd.

"Wait until you guys see her. She's gorgeous." Matais chuckles into his ear piece.

"Holy hot damn." Alex breathes out, obviously catching a glimpse of the Noxian. "You're telling me. I bet you Dakota almost fainted."

"Just about." Elric cackles.

"Shut up!" Dakota barks.

"Hey, focus on what we were assigned to do!" Abbie snaps. "How are the doors? Has the stream of people gone down yet?"

"Kind of." Dakota replies instantly.

"Good, you'll be moving in here soon, there's too many people to a ratio of us. Elric and Matais can hold the door positions when people stop trying to get in. You can go back near the end of the event." Abbie orders.

"Sure thing. I'll be inside in about a few minutes." She looks to Elric who rolls his eyes.

"Sheriff incoming." Matais calls out.

They all stand to attention as Caitlyn, Vi and Caitlyn's parents walk up the steps to the entrance. Caitlyn is in a long purple ball gown that accentuates her curves. Her raven black hair is tied into a bun. Her bangs are held back by bobby pins, revealing her brilliant ice blue eyes. Her pale shoulders are exposed from the strapless dress. Dakota beams as she sees Vi's fingers entwined with Caitlyn's.

Vi is looking very dapper in a white suit with a purple tie the same shade as Caitlyn's dress. Behind Piltover's finest is Peter Deramore who is in a well tailored suit. His arm is looped around his wife's waist as the group of four halt beside the saluting soldiers.

"Master Corporal and Sergeant Sampson." Caitlyn greets.

"Sheriff," The two soldiers bark out.

"At ease."

Dakota watches as looks to her husband with raised impressed eyebrows.

Dakota widens her stance and folds her hands behind her back.

"How are you holding up? Are you properly insulated? Do you feel cold?" Caitlyn asks, furrowing her brow in worry as she roves her eyes over Elric and Dakota.

"We are fine, ma'am." Elric responds without missing a beat. "We took the weather advisories, knowing it would be a cold night. I am literally wearing three pairs of underwear."

Caitlyn chuckles. "Of course."

"I feel it would be wise, for you to enter, ma'am." Dakota mentions. "It's getting quite cold and dresses aren't usually the best kind of material to wear in these conditions."

"Yer right kid. This stupid wind is getting bitey. Let's head inside before yer old man turns into a popsicle, Cait." Vi interjects.

Caitlyn beams at Elric and Dakota in pride. "Carry on, you two. Hopefully I will be seeing you later on tonight."

They nod in unison and watch as the group leaves their site.

"Vi is one lucky, gal." Alex pipes up. The sheriff must have walked past his position. He whistles lowly. "Man, I don't know who steals the looks more, the Sheriff or the Noxian."

"Shut it, Alex." Dakota warns.

"Ah, you're just jealous. I got the best view in the house."

The soldiers groan.

"You really need to control your hormones, boy." Matais chortled.

"Hey, I can't help it. I like the ladies and the ladies like me."

Dakota bursts out in laughter. "Yeah right."

"Oh shut it, Sampson. At least I can get laid."

"Will the two of you cut it out!" Abbie spat. "I swear to the gods the two of you are purposefully pushing my buttons."

"Can't help it that you're brother is being an annoying shit." Dakota argues crossing her arms over her chest.

" _Can't help it if you're brother is being an annoying shit."_ Alex mocks with a high pitched voice.

"So help me Alex." Dakota gritts through her teeth.

"I said enough!" Abbie growls. "The two of you better quit acting like kids or I'm taking you off the job immediately. Start acting like bloody professionals."

That shuts up the two young members.

"Dakota, I'm going to need you in here. Elric you're comfortable with the door?" Abbie asks.

"Totally. Matais and I can hold this easy, seems like everyone has arrived anyways so we can give up Dakota for a bit."

"Alright, I'll be right over." Dakota replies. She strides past her brother.

Swing music echoes against the marble hall. People are dancing in the middle of the ballroom with wide smiles and gleeful laughing She clearly spots Vi and Caitlyn among the crowd, who dance like pros. Vi is leading Caitlyn into fast moving footwork and amazing moves the capture the attention of the party goers. There's a small crowd that circles the swing dancers. It's in that moment that she wishes she could move like that.

Her eyes catch Abbie who keeps sweeping her gaze over the dancing bodies and attendees.

"Who knew the enforcer had happy feet like that." Dakota comments into the ear piece.

"They're getting quite the group of admirers. Make sure no one oversteps their bounds. I don't want those two getting caught up in something bad." Abbie's voice crackles back.

"I'll take that into consideration. I'll keep tabs and my eyes peeled for any signs of trouble."

"Stay out of the bar." Abbie jokes.

A sly grin spreads through Dakota's thin lips. "Damn, you foiled my plans."

"Excuse me." A harmonious strong voice catches Dakota's attention. She turns to the voice and nearly faints. "Dr. Deramore? How may I help you?" A nervous energy goes through her body.

Dr. Catherine Deramore is one of the most innovative techmaturgists in Piltover. It was her who actually designed the first working engine for the high efficiency hexmobile. She had participated in the creation of the legendary zeppelin _the Tailwind._ She designed the first ever patrol bot.

And how could one forget that she was Sheriff Deramore's mother.

The doctor smiles sweetly. "I never got the chance to properly introduce myself. See I have heard many things about you and your talent with hextech. My daughter and her partner Vi, have been chatting my ear off about you. So I thought it wise to make myself known." She extends a slim hand to Dakota, who graciously accepts, surprised at the doctor's firm grip at her hand. "I am Doctor Catherine Deramore. I am vice president of the engineering wing at the Yordle Academy of Science and Progress."

Dakota gives a wry grin. "It an absolute dream to meet you, ma'am."

"Oh please don't call me ma'am, love. You can call me Catherine." Dr. Deramore implores.

"Well, Catherine." Dakota tries to keep her giddy excitement down as she tests out the Doctor's name. "I am master corporal Dakota Sampson with unit fifty one. I have to admit, I'm a massive fan, and you were the one that inspired me to start working on designs. It's an absolute honor to finally get to meet you."

"Likewise." Catherine beams.

 _My god, it's like I am looking at Caitlyn in her teens again._ Catherine thinks.

"I'm also here to cordially invite you and your unit to the feast at Snowdown, that my husband and I host every year. We wanted to give our thanks and appreciation, by giving your unit a nice warm meal and some company." Catherine icy eyes study Dakota's face subtly.

 _She is literally a spitting image of her._

"Oh fuck yeah, Dakota. Free food is the bomb, but feasts. There are no words." Alex croons in the communicator. The sixteen year old ignores the redhead and gives the Doctor a gracious smile.

"Thank you. My compatriots and I will ensure that we are at your table. I'm sure I will be getting the details from Cai.." Dakota stops herself. "From the sheriff."

"We'll be glad to have you." Catherine then looks to her table, where her husband stares at her with lake blue daggers. "I must apologise, but I must continue on with my night. It was a pleasure to finally put a face to a name I have been hearing so much about."

She pats at Dakota's armored shoulder as she strides away gracefully.

As sits beside her husband, she tilts her chin up. "You really need to get over it, Peter." She begins coldly. She plasters on a smile as her Daughter catches her sight and beams across the dance floor to her. "She's going to be joining us for the feast." She states flatly, daring Peter to argue.

"I don't understand why you'd let that _scum_ , cross the threshold of _my_ house." Peter pouts.

"Because she means a lot to Caitlyn. Their relationship has become quite casual. Just now, the girl just about called our daughter by her first name. Vi has also taken her under her wing and she works as her assistant on Sundays. I may drop in and see the work they are doing this week." She grabs at a flume of champagne from a serving tray and takes a small sip, rolling her tongue in the liquid. "If you respect our daughter, Peter, you will get over this meaningless hatred. The girl is an innocent and she is well spoken and an intelligent girl."

She pauses for half a second to let that sink into Peter's mind. "I would go as far to say that I am proud to share her blood line."

Peter takes a large breath in and sets his jaw in agitation.

(That Night) {Woodkid-Run Boy Run}

His chest heaves as his bare feet collide into the sands of the shore. He has long dropped his shield and sword, their weight burdening his chances to flee safely. His chain mail clacks together as he huffs out in fear with each terrified step.

A spear whistles out into the late night sky, sailing toward the running boy.

With the luck of the Gods he worships, he trips, falling to his front while the spear digs into the sand not a foot away from where he would've been.

He gets back to his feet with more urgency than before. His long legs carry him as far as they will take them. He can hear them roaring behind him in a language he doesn't understand.

It's then that the Gods bless his almond shaped black eyes with the light of a nearby village. He sprints faster with the last cells of his remaining energy, almost giving out as he strides down the hillside.

"Help!" He calls out in his foreign tongue, that his newfound enemies only hear as gibberish.

He slams into the wooden defensive wall of the village and begins to pound his fists against the slats.

"Help me!" He screams out as the enemy approaches the perimeter of the village. "By our worthy Gods, please show mercy upon me and save me!"

"No one can save you." The voice is gruff and the language is cut and harsh, compared to the running boy's velvety tone.

The boy falls to his knees, raising his hands up and bowing his head, begging for mercy.

"Weak sheep. Do you not know who we are? Do you not know what we stand for?" The gruff man chuckles darkly as his large axe gleams under the moonlight. His soldiers that he commands circle him. "I am the hand of Noxus. I am the one they call Darius. And you are nothing but a waste of breath, Ionian." He snarls as he spits a glob of saliva into the boy's eyes. He motions for one of his soldiers, who strides over and rams a spear in the back of the boy's neck.

"Take the village. Leave no survivors!" He orders out. "Noxus will show great strength with our new outpost." He sneers evilly.

The night echoes out with a single mantra as the soldiers take control.

"Blood for Noxus!"

 **AN-Darius scares me.**


	15. Chapter 15:Clock Towers and Feasts

**an- Hey bbs, holy hell it's been a long time. This new school semester has been nuts! Anyways I made this chapter long because I felt bad that I left you all hanging. I hope I did good. Let me know what you all think. Thank you all for reading and staying this long with me. I'm very happy that I got this out to you guys. I feel like I am neglecting you all XD.**

(The Upper City Snowdown Ball) {Three Days Grace- Human Race}

Her full lips twitch behind the rim of the champagne flute. Her pale legs cross over each other, as she trains a steady emerald gaze toward the representative.

He is emotionless as he keeps his attention on the seventeen year old sitting across from him. "When the sheriff mentioned that a young Noxian soldier was trapped in Piltover, I wasn't expecting the Raven Child."

Illya's smirk is laced with so much danger that it sends a shiver down the representative's spine. "Not many call me that and survive." She winks. "Just call me Illya."

"I will not refer our glorious grand general's daughter as something so informal." He utters smoothly, swirling his crystal glass of Noxian Port. "It is absolutely disrespectful to your's and your father's power." He raises a scarred eyebrow to the teenager, investigating her ballroom attire. "You look impeccable, your grace. Will you be looking for suitors this night, or are you dredging in plans that your father has kept secret from the council?"

Illya snorted and gave a low and dangerous chuckle. " And why does that concern you? Suitors or plans, it's still my business."

"It's not your business when an innocent allied city falls prey for no apparent reason. THAT is the business of everyone. You should remind your father of the breach of alliedship and exporting means of technology he could completely ruin." He responds with a gruff and curt scoff.

"Why do we need another city of technology when we have the Zaunites?" She asks with a small smirk. "They are equally as technological and are constantly on the brink of scientific breakthroughs. Infact the Mechanist is well in depth of a new discovery that will change Noxian tactics completely."

"Preposterous." He squints his eyes in suspicion.

"Come walk with me, Representative. We can discuss this situation without listening ears." Illya recommends, standing to her feet and extending her hand gracefully toward the representative, who takes it gingerly and guides her toward the great halls.

The sounds of laughter and music fades as they stride along the great marble hallways in the back of the venue, showing amazing views with large picture windows placed every few steps or so. The city is alive with numerous snowdown lights hanging from trees and numerous buildings. The night sky is quiet with stars and a full bright moon rising from behind the Ironspike mountains.

"Why are you here, your grace?" He questions. "Is the Grand General really going to attack the city of progress?"

She smiles sweetly to the representative. "Do not concern yourself with the city of progress. There is nothing to worry."

"Do not lie to me, Raven child." He growls as he points to her menacingly.

Illya's face falls into something sinister then. She grabs at his exposed wrist and pulls it down so that he is forced to her height. "You do not call me that." She snarls. "As far as you know, _representative,_ I am Illya Ritcher. An infantry soldier from the _Einhundret_ company, just trying to get home to Noxus without prejudice. You will tell the sheriff that there is no way for _me_ to get back without a death warrant. Ensure that she understands that _I_ am stranded with nowhere to turn. Ensure that she knows the grave consequences of abandoning orders in Noxus." She grabs at his lapels and glares venomous daggers at the middle aged man. "And if you want to live, do not let her know of my identity."

"Are those orders, your grace?" He asks with little emotion.

She raises a perfectly manicured lilac eyebrow and gives a menacing grin.

" _Yes."_

********************************************************************************************\

(Two days later) {Imogen Heap-Tiny Human}

A slim smile spreads through her lips as the sounds of a raging fire and her partner snoring, enters her ears. Vi is sprawled over a half broken couch, with old oil stains plastered onto the dark green fabric. Her neon pink haired head is hanging off the back of the couch, as drool slides down her open mouth. Her long muscular arms are resting along the top and her dirty boots, gather mud on the old surface of the concrete flooring. Her eyes catch the roaring flames, as they lick out of the hot forge, spilling out into the cold garage air. Like a ghostly silhouette, Dakota stands in front of the forge, stoking the flames, shadows dancing along her features.

Her icy eyes are focused on the flames as they are tended by her steady hands. The jumper she is wearing has the arms wrapped around her waist revealing Dakota in a black sports bra. In the light of the flames, the pale scars across her body are angry reminders of times survived and enemies overcome. Caitlyn finds herself tracing them with her observing eyes. What are the stories? What had happened? What made those ugly lines that engrave her pale skin?

She finds she is stepping closer to her biological daughter, hand extended to reach for a scarred shoulder.

"Dakota?" It's a soft whisper, but the soldier catches it with her keen ears. Her eyes leave the forge and they go over the sheriff, taking in the sight of the woman in a purple blazer and black dress pants. The Soldier frowns and steps to the side to block the view of the open forge.

"What are you doing here?" She asks, brushing her fingers through her bangs. Her body is covered in sweat, oil and dirt. Her long arms cross over her chest and she stands defensively in front of her work.

Caitlyn raises a raven black eyebrow. "What are you hiding, Dakota?"

Dakota's blush is as red as a tomato as she grits her teeth. "Nothing for your eyes to see." The girl mutters.

Caitlyn covers her mouth as a small giggle bubbles from her throat, making a sly grin slip through Dakota's thin lips. "My Snowdown present." She deduces between the chuckles. "Alright I will not peek. However, I'll probably have it figured out by Snowdown eve."

Suddenly arms collapse around the Sheriff's waist, lips brought to her jacketed shoulder. "Yer not supposed ta be here, cupcake." Vi nuzzles groggily.

Caitlyn rolls her eyes as her fingers entwine with Vi's hands at her waist. She freezes then, remembering that Dakota is in the room. Her eyes travel to the teenager, who has her back turned to the two lovers, stoking the roaring flames more. Caitlyn pushes Vi back, giving her a scolding look as Vi replies with puppy dog violet eyes.

"Dakota doesn't mind the smooching , Cait." Vi whines.

"Yes, But I am her commander and I must obtain some kind of image of professionalism, Vi." Caitlyn mentions as she smoothes out her blazer.

The teenager chuckles out as she reaches for a rag, drying her sweaty lithe hands on the oil stained yellow fabric. She hikes the rag over her shoulder and crosses her long pale arms over her chest. "Screw professionalism, Cait. You are one hell of a lot closer to me than most people." She points out striding over toward a basin, swiping at the metal ladle and taking a large drag of water. She wipes her mouth with the back of her hand. "What brings you over to _customs_?" Dakota asks, leaning on the rim of the water basin with a devilish smirk splayed along her mouth. Around her are tools and workbenches that line the walls. At the far end of the garage there are the empty bodies of torn apart hexmobiles abandoned for the day, as the mechanics had left hours ago. A massive mural of flames and the owner's prized copter, is painted along with the large logo of the business.

 _Piltover Customs_ served as a safe haven for Vi and her hextech exploits. Caitlyn's mind made a quick mental note to order a card and a gift of thanks for Corki. It was too kind of him to allow Vi and Dakota to spend their sundays enveloped in his shop.

"Ya, I myself, would like ta know that one." Vi interjects, poking Caitlyn's ribs playfully, making the sheriff scowl at the grinning pinkette. The brawler strides over to the water basin and nudges Dakota over with her hip, pushing the girl out of the way and gaining a sour icy scowl from the teenager.

"Well as it so happens, Corporal Flynn was in my office." Caitlyn begins.

Dakota's heart freezes, her eyes widening in shock."Sh-she what?" Dakota stutters.

Beside her, Vi spits out the water she had just gulped, and begins a boisterous laugh. She punches at Dakota's arm in uncontained glee and scoops the girl up in a massive bear hug. Dakota squeaks out in surprise.

"See I told ya didn't I. Just play it cool, kiddo. Didn't I say that. They always come back. I fucking told ya!" Vi drops Dakota and wraps her muscular arms around the girl's swan like neck. Her wide grimy hand cards into Dakota's raven black locks, musing the strands into an array of crazy directions.

"Vi." Dakota complains as she tries to push the brawler away, giving Caitlyn a grumpy look as Vi, hugs her from behind. She huffs out, blowing her bangs out of her face. "What did Taryn want?"

Caitlyn raises an eyebrow and gives a small chuckle as she rummages into her purse, retrieving a small black protective case the size of a book. She extends the small box toward Dakota, who finally fends off Vi, slipping out of the pinkette's embrace. Her hands gather around the box as her icy eyes widen with curiosity and wonder. Her fingers find the safety latch and exposes the sleek black weapon, placed gently in black velvet. "Emma Flynn's pistol." Dakota Gasps, letting her fingers glide over the dark Ionian platinum. Vi peers over Dakota's shoulder giving a chorus of appreciative 'oohs' and 'ahhs'.

"She asked me to give you this." Caitlyn adds, passing over a folded parchment to Dakota's shaking hands. She tenderly places the pistol box onto the wooden surface of a nearby workbench, and opens the parchment, letting her eyes drift through the cursive letters.

 _Dakota,_

 _Hey. First of all I want to apologize. You were right, I've been acting like a stuck up asshole toward you. It was totally uncalled for and unnecessary. I really hope that I haven't scared you off with my stupidity and that you are willing to give me a second chance._

 _Second. Yes, that is my sister's prized pistol. No, you can't keep it._

Dakota frowns. "Damn." She mutters before continuing on.

 _The stupid thing malfunctioned and my sister, being naive and stubborn, decided that she would try and fix it. Anyways, the loading pin snapped due to my sister's fiddling and she has been heartbroken ever since._

 _See there are literally only two hextecnologists that are capable of fixing it in this city. One has incredible overpriced rates, while the other lives in a shady spot near the lower city docks with a knack of selling his clientele's pieces over to smugglers for handsome gold. If I could be so bold as to ask a favour, would there be a possibility of you fixing this? I would love to get it repaired for Snowdown and I know you love fixing complicated things. I know I can trust you with my sister's "child"._

 _Third. So now that I kind of given your mind a moment to think over that second chance, how about I take you out to lunch as a thank you, for taking on the responsibility of being my sister's saving grace? As you will see inscribed at the bottom of this page is my hexcommunicator number. Let me know if you can fix it and if you can't that's totally fine, I can suck it up and pay the hefty fees for the first guy._

 _I owe you one,_

 _Taryn_

She folds the paper and turns to the workbench quickly setting herself to work. Her fingers gingerly pick up the piece and instantly her hands disassemble the platinum casing, revealing the guts and inner mechanisms of the hextech pistol. She pulls out bent gears and cogs, giving little disappointed noises as her eyes go over the sad bent metal pieces. She turns her frowning face over to Vi. "Her sister is a barbarian." She whines. "No wonder it malfunctioned. It's bent all to fuck!" Dakota's brow furrows in concentration as she works out the split metal loading pin.

"Language." Caitlyn tuts, earning an eye roll from the teenager and a slight guffaw from Vi.

The brawler claps Dakota's shoulder. The soldier grins excitedly to the pinkette. "We'll finish Cait's present then get to work on this. I'm going to have to craft a new pin for this." There's a slight maniacal tone that enters into the excited teenager's voice. "And we'll have to gut it out entirely and replace some of the cogs."

"Wanna go see if we can scope out a new power combination crystal? We can up the power and get this fucking thing blasting heads off like a cheap whore!"

"Vi!" Caitlyn screeches. "A young girl doesn't need to hear your sailor's tongue!"

"Hell yeah!" Dakota jumps, ignoring the fuming sheriff, and high fiving the brawler, who gives a mischievous grin over to Caitlyn, waggling her eyebrows to the smaller woman.

"Not like you to complain about my tongue."

Caitlyn turns beet red and Dakota bursts out into a ruckus of laughter, holding her abdomen as the sound bounces off the concrete walls of the garage.

"I cannot believe you just said that! For the love of the gods, Vi! There are young ears around!" Caitlyn shrieks as she furiously shakes a fist at her partner, who rolls violet eyes.

(3 Days later) {ILLENIUM- Fortress (Ft. Joni Fatora)}

"Stop fidgeting." Abbie snaps.

Her harsh voice takes the teenager out of her dazed state, fingers buttoning and unbuttoning her wool over coat over and over again.

"What if this was a joke?" Her voice cracks with concern. "What if she is pulling something?"

"Dakota." Elric's voice is soft and caring as he approaches his sister, fixing the lapels at her jacket and taking a strand of her bangs and brushing them behind her ear. "Taryn isn't the kind of girl to pull cruel jokes like that." He watches as she gnaws on her lower lip in worry.

"But what if..?"

"Seriously Dakota, use that brain of yours." Abbie interjects, rolling her eyes. "Do you really think Taryn Flynn is capable of doing something like that."

"No, but I-"

"Then stop worrying." Abbie cuts.

"Plus you have the Sampson charm." Elric winks. "Girls can't resist that."

That pulls a small smile on the girl's lips. "By charm, you do mean putting my foot in my mouth? Because I seem to do that a lot."

"You'll be fine. Just be yourself, and if Taryn can't see how awesome of a person you are, then she isn't worth it."

Dakota huffs, small clouds billowing out from her mouth as her breath reacts with the cold winter air. Its then that her eyes catch Taryn, walking toward the cafe. Her stomach clenches with nervous butterflies as her gaze roves over the girl.

"You'll be fine. Just be yourself." Elric claps at her shoulder as he and Abbie turn to enter into the cafe. "We'll be inside if you need us."

Dakota nods. Her attention fixates back to Taryn and she takes a second to calm herself. She takes a deep breath, collecting her thoughts as Taryn takes her final steps to approach the soldier.

"Hey." The brunette greets shyly, hiding her freckled face behind a pale baby blue scarf. "Thanks for allowing me to take you out to lunch."

Dakota nervously chuckles. "The pleasure is mine." She finds it hard to breathe as Taryn's steel gray eyes sparkle with joy. "Shall we go inside?" She gestures to the brick walkway to the entrance of the cafe. She notices the small creeping blush gathering on the brunette's freckled cheeks. A small smirk plays along Dakota's lips as she guides them inside, revelling in the heat of the cafe. They sit at a small table located by a more quieter and private area that provides a window view of founder's park.

They are met by a smiling waitress who takes their orders and dissipates within the small busy lunch rush of the cafe.

Dakota removes her jacket, placing the wool material over the back of her chair. She brushes her fingers through her hair, taking a deep breath to calm herself of the crazed butterflies flipping in her stomach. She looks up from her eyelashes, a trick she learned from Elric, and gave a wide charming smile toward the girl sitting across from her.

"How are things?" She asks, letting the nerves slide off her body as she watches Taryn unwrap her scarf and throw her light brown hair over her shoulder, cupping a strand behind the shape of an ear.

"Very good actually." She mentions, smiling over to the waitress who places mugs in front of them. She picks up the white cup with both of her hands, bringing up to her face letting the heat seep off and warm her freezing digits. She takes a small sip of her coffee and hums in content. "Our unit is getting honoured again. Emma has lead us well."

"Congratulations. Your unit has always been one of the strongest. I'm glad you are getting some kind of recognition." Dakota takes a spoon, twirling it in the light green colour of her Ionian mint tea.

"How about you? I heard you and Vi have been in the works over at Piltover Customs?" Taryn asks placing her chin on top of a fist, watching Dakota's wrist rotate with each spoon twirl.

"Yeah, I've been lucky enough to be under Vi's tutelage. Actually we had just finished making snowdown presents. We even got to work on Emma's pistol." Dakota sighs then. "The next time if it malfunctions, that's a big if after I made some changes it shouldn't malfunction again." Dakota begins.

"That's awfully cocky of you to say." Taryn giggles.

Dakota chuckles. "As I was saying, IF it malfunctions, bring it to me as soon as possible, rather than have your sister destroy the poor thing. No point in mutualizing it." Dakota frowns behind her mug. "Vi and I had to re fashion the entire loading system. I don't understand why the crafter made a loading pin out of soft metal." Dakota scoffs.

"Money?" Taryn adds.

"Maybe, probably trying to make more cash out of your sister. I'm just surprised that it lasted that long."

"She only brings it out like two to three times a year over at the shooting range. She never uses it any other time. It really surprised us that she even bought the damned thing." Taryn grumbles.

Dakota quirks out a small smirk. "Whoever said diamonds are a girl's best friend, obviously didn't meet your sister."

Taryn rolls her eyes. "Totally. She is infatuated with guns. She literally told me last night that she wanted a gun blade. A gunblade! She's going to get herself killed touching those things. Ugh it makes me worry so much."

"Elric gets the same way with shields. Last year I made him a custom one. Completely made out of blood, sweat and curses. What does he do two months later after receiving it? He starts ogling at some Demacian relic shield in a shop window." Dakota leans back in the chair shaking her head. "The gall."

The two girls both break out into a round of giggles.

Taryn looks at Dakota with appreciative steel eyes. "I missed this. I miss talking to you."

Dakota gives a small side small and leans onto the table top. She lifts her mug, holding it in the air between them. "To a new start?"

Taryn blushes and bites at her lower lip. She raises her mug and clinks the edge against Dakota's mug. "To a new start."

*************************************************************************************#%^**

(That afternoon) {MaLuca- Holding On To Everything}

Her head fell back as she looked up at the inner working of the clock tower. When Dakota had suggested going out into the cold winter air to do some exploration of their birth city, Taryn had jumped at the chance. When she was a young girl, her life had been filled with exploration and the positive interests of histories of city states like Piltover, Zaun and Bandle City. Her dreams were filled with unexplored ruins, drying and faded maps, tomb raiders and a particular blonde smiling young man presenting her with an award of exploration excellence.

It made her giddy that Dakota remembered this side of her. Especially after the two of them reminisced of times spent on top of Demacian rooftops and reading books, while the market streets busied underneath them. The stories they would tell each other of new inventions and ruins discovered in precariously dangerous locations. Dakota would stand then, swearing she would fight by her side so that they could find the treasures inside. The two girls would then break out in giggling fits, holding their abdomens, trying not to fall off the clay shingles and on to the streets below.

"You coming?"

Taryn's head snapped to Dakota's voice seeing the girl beaming as she was crouched on top of an old wooden rafter.

"How in the void did you get up there?" She asked incredulously. She roved her eyes around the small open ceiling room.

Dakota chuckled. She stood from her perch and casually strode over to a near wall. "There is a small ledge that you can lift yourself on over here. Hope you have the upper body strength you used to have."

"When you carry shields the size of your body, you obviously have upper body strength." Taryn scoffed. She hopped a bit catching the edge of her digits into the wooden ledge. She gave a small grunt as she hoisted herself up. She wobbly stood up, extending her arms from her body to give her a little bit of balance. She took her eyes off her feet, after she ensured she wasn't going to slip off. She then came face to face with Dakota's grinning face.

"Try to keep up, Flynn." Dakota stuck her tongue out and took off up the rafters, crawling up beams and wall ledges to get to the top.

Taryn took a second to admire the way she moved. It was like watching art being created in front of her. Dakota moved fluidly from rafter to rafter, never slowing down or speeding up. She had enough time to think through her travel path, but had the speed to go through it all quickly.

Taryn rolled her eyes and followed suit, taking a bit more time than Dakota. She finally hauls herself up to Dakota, who extends a hand to help the brunette up. Gratefully, she takes it and is hoisted up easily by the stunning girl. Dakota places a hand on her waist to help her balance on the beam, getting her center of gravity focused to keep her from falling over.

Taryn watches the concentration in Dakota's face and she finds herself blushing as she realises the other girls proximity to her. She lavished in the way that Dakota's hands were placed firmly to ensure her safety. It's then that she notices, her beautiful icy eyes, boring into her steel gray hues. The touch of a small smirk teased at the corner of her lips, as Dakota regarded the brunette's blushing face.

"Just like old times." Dakota murmurs.

"Yeah." Taryn confirms with a small whisper. She notices that Dakota has her other hand entwined with hers, their fingers laced together. The girl turns away as she rubs a thumb on the back of her hand.

"I come here to think sometimes." Dakota mentions as she gently tugs at Taryn's hand to follow her.

Taryn understands why she does. The massive moving cogs and ticking gears represent the primary inner workings of every piece of hextech equipment. The goliaths turn to create a chain reaction to move the hands on the clock face.

It is movement.

It is the inner mechanisms she works tirelessly on.

It is Dakota.

Taryn is being lead by Dakota toward a workman's catwalk that labyrinths among the massive metal pieces. They take metal steps to a final ledge where a massive door sits precariously in the dust motes.

"Alright, this is the best part." Dakota turns herself to Taryn. "Close your eyes."

Taryn squints at her. "Why?"

"Just trust me, okay?"

Taryn rolls her eyes, but does as she is told.

She hears the sound of Dakota grunt and the screech as the metal door is open. A small gust of cold winter air makes her shiver. She feels the warmth of Dakota's hand clasping hers as she is lead out of the warmth of the clock tower.

She hears Piltovian doves cooing at her and the sound of flags whipping in the wind. Below there is the constant drone of hexmobiles and electro carriages driving by and the sound of civilians milling amongst each other leaving for work.

"Ok." Dakota's voice is right at her ears and she jumps a little. She feels Dakota's hands go to her hips as she is maneuvered to face into a direction. Suddenly Dakota's presence leaves, her warm hands are gone from her waist.

"Open your eyes."

And when she does, she gasps loudly at the beauty. The setting sun washes the Piltovian city skyline in beautiful hazes of oranges and pinks. Gulch bay sparkles with winter sea waves and schooners docking in for the night. The city's skyscrapers reflect off the light with their pristine glass panes.

"Oh gods." Taryn whispers as her eyes take in everything. "I have never seen anything so beautiful in my entire life."

"I have." Dakota is at her side, her hands dug deep into her over coat pockets. Her face is nuzzled into the neck of the wool material. Her raven black locks whip out behind her from the winter breeze.

"Oh really?" Taryn turns to her, raising a light brown eyebrow.

"Yeah, you."

Taryn is taken a back. "That was good."

Dakota chuckles. "I know right. Sampson charm, or so my brother calls it."

Taryn regards her blushing face with a smile. "That was really good." She then takes the risk. She wraps an arm around Dakota's neck, watching as her icy eyes widen, and places a hand along her jawline. She tips the girl's chin and tilts her head, looking at Dakota with half lidded steel pools. "Really, really good." She whispers against Dakota's thin lips.

Suddenly, the chime of a hextech communicator rings in the air and Taryn places her forehead against Dakota's shoulder. "I'm sorry, I have to take this."

Dakota smirks. "Go ahead."

Taryn breaks apart from Dakota and stomps away.

"Emma, you better have a bloody good reason to be bothering me right now?" Taryn hisses.

"Easy there. I don't need you at my throat either." Emma grumbles in the receiver.

"Who else is at your throat?" Taryn asks, turning back to Dakota who leans on the ledge overlooking the city with observative eyes. She bites at her lower lip as she thinks how close she got to finally pressing her lips to Dakota's.

"Our commanders, we are to have an inspection in thirty minutes and your ass isn't here." Emma growls.

"Oh no." Taryn closes her eyes and sighs. "Alright, I'll be there in a bit."

"If you aren't here Taryn, I will kick your ass back a century. Also do you know where my pistol went? I got a hextechnologist to come take a look at it, but I couldn't find it."

Taryn frowns as she feigns worry. "Couldn't tell you. Did you check your bunk?"

"Of course I did."

"Alright, alright calm down. I'll help you look for it after inspection. See you in a bit." Quickly she hangs up and strides over to Dakota.

"Sadly I have been called back to HQ. We have an unscheduled inspection in thirty you for today. I haven't had this much fun in a long time." Taryn looks at her feet. "If you would like, I would love to do this again."

"Yeah, I would love to." Dakota mentions, smiling at the brunette. "I also had fun today. It felt like we were kids again."

Taryn chuckles. "I believe I left something unfinished."

"Oh?" Dakota gives out a cheeky grin as Tarryn wraps her arms around her neck once more. Dakota places her hands at her waist and she meets Taryn's forehead with her own. She closes her eyes as she brushes their noses together. Dakota presses her lips against Taryn's, starting out soft and controlled, being gentle enough to get Taryn to crave more.

It's then that it turns heated as Taryn's fingers curl into the strands of her raven black locks, pulling the girl closer to her body. A small groan rolls out of Dakota's throat as Taryn's fingers slide from her hair to her jaw, caressing the her jawline with her thumbs. Her nails drag against the skin as one of her hands travel down her neck and groups at the lapels of her over coat. The kiss feels like a smoldering fire as they fight for breath in between their kissing.

The sound of a hexcommunicator rings out and with an angry noise, Taryn reaches into her pocket and throws it behind her hopefully falling to the streets below as she hungrily kisses the girl infront of her. Dakota breaks the kiss as she laughs. Taryn presses their foreheads together, grinning as her chest heaves for air.

"You better get going, I don't want your sister getting mad at you." Dakota mentions. She gently places a small kiss on her cheek. "How about we meet up again at the cafe next weekend?"

"I would like that very much." Taryn smiles. She pulls away and she feels warmth disappear from her body. She frowns slightly and takes small steps back. "Until then. I'll see you later Dakota Sampson."

Taryn heaves the heavy metal door open and leaves Dakota alone on the rooftop of the clock tower.

Dakota looks up into the sky with the largest smile valoran had ever seen. She laughs out loud in glorious victory, throwing her long arms up.

"SAMPSON FUCKING CHARM!" She laughs out into the Piltovian air.

(Minutes Before) {Placebo-Running Up That Hill}

Shadows envelop her as if she was birthed in them. She is perched like a bird of prey.

Her emerald eyes watch patiently from the adjacent rooftop, as she huddles into cotton and leather as the winter wind claws itself into her body.

Curse this damned city. Just when she started liking it, she began to despise the cold weather. Her eyes then catch the flash of metal as a door is opened wide.

"Finally." She mutters.

It had been twenty minutes when they first entered into the clock tower. She had followed the two girls easily on the street and knowing Dakota, she knew they would have went upward. So she patiently waited, and waited and waited.

She watches as Dakota takes the other girl and maneuvers her to see the sunset.

"Ugh,Dakota, you are so original." She rolls her eyes sarcastically as she places her chin on top of her fist."Seriously, sunset watching. I bet she's going to say something like 'oh you think this is beautiful, I've seen prettier, like you'. Ugh. So corny and predictable."

Her eyebrows shoot up as she watches the lesser soldier wrapping an arm around Dakota's neck. She watches as the distance between them closes, their faces millimeters apart. Her finger glides over the combat knife at her ankle, as a small tinge of jealousy curls in her chest.

The brunette was drop dead gorgeous.

But Dakota deserved better.

Dakota deserved an Empress.

Or so she'd make her think that.

Suddenly they pull away and the brunette goes to answer her hexcommunicator. Dakota scratches the back of her neck and leans forward, placing her lithe hands on the edge of the building's rooftop. Her eyes rove the rooftops, looking for something, as if her instincts are telling her she is being watched.

Illya smirks. "No way she'll find me." She mutters to herself.

It's as if Dakota heard her as her icy eyes swivel to Illya's location and smirks at the Noxian. She rises from her leaning form, standing tall keeping eye contact with Illya, who stays frozen in place. Dakota crosses her arms over her chest with a raised eyebrow, as if to say _I see you, no need to continue hiding._

"Stupid sniper eyes." She curses quietly.

She watches as Dakota turns back to the brunette, who looks apologetic.

"Probably has to leave." Illya snorts. "Yeah, good ridd-" She is cut short as she watches the distance close between them again and their lips meld. "Damn. You had to make things fucking difficult didn't you." She growls.

(3 days later) {POD-Youth Of The Nation}

The knock is firm despite the shivering. It taps along the heavy oak door that had been expertly carved with the Deramore insignia.

Dakota stands at the back of the group, with Alex at her side and Matais, Abbie and Elric at the front.

The butler opens the door inspecting the five soldiers dressed to perfection in their uniforms, with the white brimmed caps, placed on top of their heads.

"Ah, the fifty first. I have been quite intrigued as to when you would arrive." The butler speaks tilting his nose up at the soldiers.

"I was told that we were to arrive at five." Abbie asks suspiciously.

"Yes," The butler responds coldly.

"Then what is the issue?" She asks, letting a bit of her temper sneak into her voice.

"I didn't expect _dirty orphans_ to be so timely is all. You obviously exceeded _my_ expectations." He quips, putting Abbie in a flaming stew. Elric twined his fingers with her, gently rubbing his thumb over her index finger in soothing circles. He was about to take control of the situation until a familiar high Piltovian accent cut behind the butler.

"Thomas, if you address my soldiers like that again, I will have you fired on the spot." Caitlyn seethes, glaring icy daggers at the butler who rolls his tired dark eyes.

"Of course. Apologies, Sheriff. I stepped out of line." He bows his head and departs the entrance giving Caitlyn the freedom to invite the cold soldiers in.

"I am gravely sorry for that." Caitlyn begins as she moves out of the way. "Come in, before you all get frostbite." Her brows furrow as she inspects them, ensuring appendages didn't fall off. Her eyes soften as she regards Dakota, who looks very crisp in her formal uniform. The Dark grey uniform jacket was tailored to fit her form perfectly. A white belt was wrapped around her waist with a golden buckle. Four shining metals were adorned on the left side of her chest, just below the small square of her last name. She removed the dark grey cap from her head, showing her raven hair tied into a tight bun. A strand of her bangs fell out of place and with squinted eyes, Dakota cupped the stray strand behind her ear. "You are all looking quite sharp." Caitlyn says as she turns away from Dakota and picks at a loose thread on Elric's shoulder.

He beams at her. "Thanks Cait." He murmurs quietly.

"Where is Vi?" Dakota asks. "I have something for her."

"She is in the parlour entertaining guests, we will be starting the feast soon." Caitlyn answers. "Let me take you five over. Do not be afraid to mingle. Our guests are mostly old men from the council." Caitlyn mentions as she leads them down a hall and toward a massive mahogany door. She opens it to reveal a room with a dark green carpet and pine siding along the wall. Book shelves lined some of the walls and a few taxidermied animals were mounted along the wall. Dakota looked in awe at what she would call the hunting room. Historical pieces of old rifles and weapons were placed on display for visitors. She spotted Vi by an old Ionian spear laughing with a group of old men with scruffy white beards.

"The fifty first, welcome." Catherine Deramore greeted. The twenty or so guests all turned their heads toward the new arrivals.

Elric stepped forward, shaking the Doctor's hand. "We would like to thank you for having us here and inviting us for the meal." He bowed his head gratefully and kissed the top of the Doctor's hand. He gave a charming smile and stood tall with his shoulders back.

"A charmer just like your father was." Catherine chuckles.

Abbie smirks and gingerly takes the doctor's hand in her, offering her thanks. She goes around the rest of the group. Matais bowed his head, staying true to his Ionian roots. Alex shifted his eyes to Abbie then to the woman standing before him. He gently took her hand in his and for the first time in a long time he stayed quiet, clearly uncomfortable with the setting of powerful people around him. Catherine then came to Dakota. The Doctor wrapped an arm around the girl pulling her into a small embrace. Dakota stood stock frozen, looking to Elric and Abbie for help.

"Mother." Caitlyn's voice caught her mother off guard as she pulled away from the soldier. Caitlyn gave a smile. "Embry is here, he was wondering where he could place the scotch he received from Demacia."

"Oh, Embry, tell him I will be right there." Catherine placed a hand onto Dakota's shoulder. "Since you are here, darling, I'll have to show you the invention room later. Would you be interested?"

"Of course." Dakota answered with a wide smile.

Catherine beamed, and like a wisp she dispersed to go welcome the new guest.

Caitlyn gave Dakota an apologetic look. The teenager chuckled waving it off. Caitlyn rolled her eyes playfully, placing a lithe hand on the shoulder that Catherine had just touched.

"Hey kiddo," Vi called out. "C'mere you gotta meet my man, Gentry." Vi drapes her arm around a beaming man who waves toward the sheriff and the soldier.

Dakota grins at Caitlyn.

"Go on then." Caitlyn encourages.

Dakota nods and pushes through the guests to arrive at Vi's side. Caitlyn watched as Vi wrapped her arm around the girl's shoulders and introduced her to Gentry.

"Your mother has gotten attached to the girl." Peter's gruff voice made Caitlyn jump. She looked to her father with side eyes as he presented a crystal glass of Bilgewater Port toward his daughter. She raises an eyebrow at him as she accepts it. He clinks his glass against hers. They both take a small sip, swirling their wrists to get more of the flavour out.

"Why, is that an issue?" She asks crossing her arm around her midsection and resting her elbow on her arm. She brings the glass to her lips, concealing the slight challenging smirk.

He keeps tight lipped as he watches the guests mingle with the others. He watches Elric as he is in deep discussion with one of his trusted statesman.

"That boy would have made a great politician. He could probably charm death when it comes for him." Peter adds, his words slightly slurred. He tips the rest of the contents in his glass back, taking the fiery liquid in one gulp.

"Don't avoid the question." Caitlyn quipps, keeping her eyes on Dakota and Vi as the two of them dramatically recount their tale of blowing up Jayce's lab.

"She isn't one of us, Caitlyn." He sighs, turning to his drink table and pouring more into his glass. "Yet, the two of you adore her. Even Vi has taken a liking to the child that ruined your life."

Caitlyn's face falls. "She never ruined my life. Infact, since her arrival back to Piltover, I have never been happier. My life partner enjoys her company and begs me to spend more time with her." Peter winces at the word life partner, making Caitlyn angrier. "It's like Vi was meant to be her parent, father. So get over it. If she chooses to be close to us, that is up to her and I am more then willing to have a relationship with _my_ daughter." She whispers angrily.

Her father shakes his head. "You are making a huge mistake letting her in. What if she discovers who you actually are to her? Hmm?" His voice began to rise then, gathering a bit of attention.

Catherine swooped in, placing herself beside her husband, going under his arm and placing her palm on his chest. "Peter, you need to calm down, this instant." She hissed through a smile. Peter dropped his head and frowned deeply, ashamed at raising his voice. The guests returned to their conversations.

"Whatever tiff the two of you are having, knock it off." Catherine warns glaring ice toward her husband and daughter. "This is Snowdown, not battle arena twelve." She scolds.

Caitlyn sighs. "Fine, we'll discuss this later, _father._ " She cuts her eyes at her father as she struts past him, placing her glass firmly on the mahogany drink table. She goes over to Vi and Dakota, who begin their next tale on some adventure she was unknown to.

"And you shoulda seen the look on that guy's face, when she back flips off the table. I'm pretty sure his pants turned a different shade of brown. And that folks is how we got thirty gold richer!" The small crowd around them give out a ruckus of laughter. Vi pats Dakota's back and nudges her with her shoulder, grinning like an idiot. Grinning that grin that she fell in love with the day the two of them met. Caitlyn smirks as she wraps an arm around _her_ enforcer's waist. Vi's arm drapes around Caitlyn's shoulders, and she places a sloppy kiss on Caitlyn's cheek.

"Hey," Vi welcomes, as love and commitment fills her beautiful violet eyes. "Anyways, boys. This kid here is a bloody genius. You should see these axes she made. By the gods, best handcrafted weapons I have ever seen. Blows Jayce's stuff right out of the water."

"I'm not that great." Dakota murmurs.

"Hey don't be modest. You have talent." Vi pushes with a smirk. "She's so good I'd have her work on my gauntlets any day."

The sound of appreciative noises comes from the crowd.

A grandfather clock chimes out the hour and the crowd turns their attention to Catherine as she stands in front of another set of heavy doors.

"Hello everyone. I would like to thank you all for coming and spending your Snowdown eve with us. We would like to now invite you all to our dinning hall, so that we may begin." Catherine turns to the door, pushing the massive wooden door open revealing a massive high ceilinged room. Three chandeliers hung from the white ceiling, lined with golden trim. The massive table that took at the center of the room had a total of thirty-five chairs. A red tablecloth adorned the wooden surface and the feast's spoils were placed in the middle of the table. Each place setting contained a plate a set of cutlery and champagne in flutes.

"Illya does not know what she is missing. Sucks to be her" Alex mentioned as he ogled at the food. The Noxian had refused saying, she'd like to be alone. It must have been hard being away from your friends and family on a day that celebrates togetherness. "Oh gods, look at all of the cooked fowl. I will die happy after eating something this big."

"Don't over due it, Alex." Abbie warned. "And be polite. There are some very classy people here who demand respect and you will show through eating like an adult."

"Yeah yeah, I'll be fine _mom._ " Alex rolled his eyes, strutting confidently toward a setting and beckoning for his company to join them.

"You're sure he's eighteen, right?" Dakota asked.

"That's enough out of you." Elric scolded. "Don't get him riled up, the last thing we need if for you guys to start a fist fight in the middle of the dining hall."

Dakota rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say, El."

"The two of them are going to give you guys strokes, if you keep worrying about them." Matais added. "Just relax, and trust that they'll be ok. They're mature teens." He brushed by them taking a spot next to Alex.

Elric sighed. "I'll start praying now, and hopefully it'll go well."

Abbie smirks at Elric as the two of them take their respective seat across from Alex and Dakota and Matais. "We should have started praying yesterday." She jokes.

"Mmm, you're absolutely right, our odds would have been much better."

Catherine and Peter, take their seats at the head of the table. Caitlyn sits at her mother's right hand, with Vi at Caitlyn's side. At Vi's right, Dakota sits patiently, letting her eyes trace the intricate gold pattern on the wall. They smile at the soldiers, who beam happily toward their commander.

Catherine stands as she raises her champagne flute. "To a safe and happy snowdown, may the gods shine upon us with wealth of family and happiness. Praise be to this feast."

The guests around the table reiterate the mantra. "Praise be to this feast." While clinking glasses and taking sips of the expensive liquid.

"Let us eat." And with that Catherine Deramore sits and the feast begins. The guests chatter among themselves discussing politics and familial means.

"So, Ms. Sampson." Peter begins as he swallows a piece of goose. He takes a light sip of his champagne and stares his lake like pools at Dakota. "I see you have the Honour Cross. Did you know that only seven people have received that award? All of them Demacian?" He smirks as he sets his fork down, gaining the attention of the guests. "Mind telling us as to how, a Piltovian teenager, wears it on her chest?" Catherine and Caitlyn both glare at him as he stares at the girl with pure hate.

She stares directly to Peter, giving an icy glare that would freeze the winter winds outside. "I mean no disrespect toward you Statesman Deramore, but it is Master Corporal Sampson. Just like you have toiled for this title." She says evenly.

Peter chuckles, taking another long swig of his Bilgewater Port. "Apologies." He grins sadistically to Dakota. " _Master Corporal Sampson_." He hisses. "Do you mind telling us how a teenage girl, unfit for battle, had gotten a prestigious award given only to Demacian soldiers?"

"Father?!" Caitlyn questions loudly.

The company rises from their seats. "Guys, easy." Dakota murmurs, earning confused looks from her comrades. "He does not know the things we have all went through. Just relax."

"Well, he doesn't need to be disrespectful about it." Abbie scoffs taking her seat.

"Yeah, no need to be an asshat, buddy." Alex warns following his sister's lead. Matais and Elric both share looks, before they return to their seats. Elric takes a large breath, giving his sister a worried look.

"Alex, there is no need of that." Dakota mentions. She returns her gaze toward the Statesman. "My mother has taught me few things in life, sir." She murmurs, taking a small sip from the champagne flute. "But one lesson that sticks with me even now is that dinner conversation should not include war, religion or grudges. Thus, I deem the topic something unmentionable at a dinner party that is meant to celebrate peace and family bonds. Especially during Snowdown, sir."

Catherine looks to Dakota with a proud smile. "Of course, darling. War is such a terrible matter to discuss at a time like th-"

"Catherine." Peter says sternly as he raises a hand to the woman's face, silencing the woman who glares at him angrily. "I'm sure the gentlemen in the room are just as curious as I am. Do tell us how you 'earned' that medal." He jeers.

Dakota turns her attention to Catherine. "I must apologize in advance, Doctor, for obliging to your husband's request. It is very rude of me to depict something so explicit at a table. But he wants to know, so I will sate his curiosity. Please accept my apologies ma'am."

Catherine sighs. "If only my husband could act as mature as you, darling. If you must, go ahead. My husband will be persistent if he doesn't get what he pleases."

Dakota nods as she looks to her plate. "I was twelve." She begins. "The Noxians had been pushing the Demacian front, ravaging farm towns and burning crops. They killed hundreds of innocents. The food shortage in the capitol instantly hit, causing most of the residing civilians to forge and scrape for food. To detain order they asked us not to feed any of the beggars, to just turn a blind eye to them." Subconsciously Dakota rubs at her right shoulder, remembering the hissing pain of the reed on her skin after giving her rations to a mother with three children. "Anyways, times were getting tough for the Demacians. Every time they encountered Noxians their ranks would be decimated. The nation was short on soldiers, food and morale."

The guests around the table leaned closer to the girl as she recounted her past. Vi reached for Caitlyn's hand underneath the table as her violet eyes stayed glued to Dakota. The soldier looked directly to her brother, giving him a sad side smile.

"The Demacians begged Piltover Company to assist them. Our Demacian commanders had plead our Piltovian commanders to give the go ahead for our troops to march alongside them. They only gave the order for the fifty first. At the time, it was law for anyone under sixteen to be taken out of the participation of any battle. However, the Demacians needed soldiers, so Alex and I were also taken. We were to be the runners, messengers and medics. Alex and I were ordered to drag the dead and the wounded off of the muddy fields, so that they could be inspected by the medical team. The others were placed with generals. Abbie and Matais helped plan out and lead small forces that attacked and controlled the enemy encampments, using guerilla warfare to destroy their resources. My brother was placed on the front lines, joining the Demacian phalanx."

By now the room was completely quiet. It was silent enough that a pin could be heard as it clattered to the carpeted flooring.

"It was on the day of the eighth Noxian charge. We were told by Demacian scouts that this was their final force, their final fighting unit within a three hundred mile radius. We were told that this was to be the last charge."

"I was positioned near front lines, doing as I was ordered, when a Demacian scout captain on his last breath had grabbed me. He wouldn't let me go until he told me that there was another wave of them, that they were coming. It was his dying request that I relay the message to the other leaders. I didn't understand what he meant. He just kept telling me about the second wave and that it was coming. I had thought that he was delusional and didn't hear that they had limited in numbers. It was then that I heard my brother's unit fighting. I could see through the smoke that it was close. I could hear him screaming. I could hear him desperately fighting." Her voice cracked then. She took a pause, to breathe out the hard emotions.

"She came at my attacker like a bat out hell." Elric spoke, his lips turning up slightly in a proud smirk. "Her scream rang through my bones and it even stunned me. She flew right at him, wrapped her skinny arms around him and finished him. Right then and there I realised my sister was stronger than me in spirit. I was so ready to give up, to let him take me, but she didn't let her size deter her."

Dakota's lips quirked up. "It was then that the second charge of Noxians came roaring from the hills. It hit me that the scout was trying to warn me, to tell me that we were wrong. The Demacians were lucky to get into formation quickly to take on the first wave, but they wouldn't last if there was to be another. I told Elric to tell his captain, to get the remaining units off the fields and to the defensive trenches. I remembered there was a trench about a few kilometers away and I took off. I had to let them know that Elric's adopted unit was retreating, that they needed reinforcements and aid as soon as possible. I had never ran so fast in my entire life."

"I got into the trench and had to fend off some Demacian soldiers who thought I was spewing crazy nonsense. I had made enough of a ruckus to get the attention of a commander. He listened to me and trusted that I was not some child throwing out made up orders. I guess he could see it in my eyes. I remember at the end of it, he had approached me. I was sitting against a wall, blood and mud all over me, exhausted. I had taken part in driving back the Noxians, swinging an abandoned sword I had picked up from the trench. Anyways, he told me to rise and I told him to let me rest. He picked me up by my armpits, forcing me to stand and he knelt to me. He told me that I had proven great strength, loyalty and valour. He ripped the medal that he had on his chest plate, and adorned it on me. He told me that I saved many Demacian lives and if I were a Demacian and under his ranks he would have me on the highest pedestal. He told me to never lose my honour and to stay just and strong." Her eyes go to Peter who looks at the girl with skeptical eyes. Beside him Catherine stared at the girl with highest respect. "I don't know why he thought I earned this medal, but I wear it proudly for him, because he believed that I did."

She reaches for her champagne flute downing the contents, and placing the flute carefully on the table.

"Bullshit." Peter spews suddenly, standing from his placement. "We never issued orders to have your unit join the Demacians. We issued nothing of the sort!" He bellows, pointing his finger angrily at the girl.

"Peter that is enough!" Catherine commands.

"No I will not have this runt depicting falsities in front of my trusted men, my wife and my daughter!" Spittle flies from his mouth as he growls at the girl.

Abbie begins to stand, her ears red with fury as she prepares to scream at Peter. "Abbie, don't" Dakota warns.

"Why? He is telling us the scars we got are nothing but lies. He's telling us the tears you shed when your brother would come back, unharmed, were absolutely nothing." She turns her attention to Peter. "You have no idea what we went through!"

"Abbie!" Dakota snaps. "Please, I can handle this." She says calmly. Abbie huffs out angrily as she sits back down glowering at Dakota.

The soldier pats her lips dry with her napkin and stands. "I don't understand what I have done to offend you for you to hate me so much." She says sternly.

"Your existence offends me." He snorts out.

Dakota nods in understanding. "It's sad really." She starts. "That a grown man acts as childish as a toddler." Her eyes travel to Catherine with sincerity. "I would like to apologize for ruining your dinner party, Doctor Deramore. I will take my leave. Thank you for inviting myself and my unit to your home. We are honoured to be your guests."

She pushes her chair in, bows to the speechless hostess and strides out of the room, containing her stewing anger.

All eyes go to the steaming statesman as he slams his hands on to the table.

(3 hours later) {Jacoo-Life Without You}

Vi's thumb does soothing circles on the back of her hand as the brawler keeps her eyes on the road. She isn't going at her usual neck breaking speed to let Caitlyn simmer as she stares out the passenger side window.

"Quite a doozy, eh, cupcake?" Vi asks quietly.

Caitlyn sighs. "My father is an incredible dick."

Vi smirks. "It's not often that I get to hear you swear, but when I do, it's the most beautiful thing I hear."

"Oh shut it, Vi." Caitlyn tuts grumpily, but it doesn't hide the small blush on her face.

"Ahh, don't be like that, Cait." Vi pokes. She gently rolls to a stop at the traffic lights. Not a hexmobile is in sight. She turns her body to Caitlyn taking the sniper's hand into her large calloused hands. "Whatever grudge he holds against Dakota, has nothing to do with you, Caitlyn. He's probably just grouchy that she's more badass than him."

Caitlyn chuckles through the small frown she wears on her face.

"Hey I got an idea." Vi starts. "Why not get the lot of them? Let's take 'em to our place. It'll help with Illya's loneliness and we can make 'em breaky and open gifts and shit. We'll put Abbie and Elric in the guest bedroom and everyone else in the living room."

Caitlyn raises an eyebrow. "Since when have you been so gung ho to share snowdown with other people."

"It's Dakota. That kid probably hasn't had a proper Snowdown in a long time." and she rolls her eyes. "And I admit, I might have something up my sleeve for tomorrow and I'd like for all of them to be there. They're like our family now, we can't just not have 'em, ya know? We'll even order some Pizza for snowdown supper, and watch movies and drink ho-"

"Vi," Caitlyn squeezes her hand, pointing at the green light. "You're rambling, love."

"Well what do ya say, Cupcake? I ain't moving till ya tell me what ya want."

Caitlyn rolls her eyes, but she leans across to her partner and brushes her lips along her tattooed cheek. "I would like that, love."

"Good, cause I wouldn't know how ta persuade ya on that one." Vi chortles out.

(That Night) {Izzard & Blankts- Threads}

She watches Dakota intently the entire evening.

She watches the way that her and Vi interact jovially around each other. She watches the way Elric and Caitlyn both roll their eyes as they watch their idiots partake in silly rituals of secret handshakes and flying high fives. She watches the way how Caitlyn is careful around her, how she is careful to touch her or say something wrong. She watches the small spats between Abbie and Dakota and the silly interjections of Alex. She watches the way that at the end of the night, Elric wraps his arms around his sister, kissing her forehead and wishing her a good night. She watches as Caitlyn whispers small apologies to the girl, who waves them off. She watches how Caitlyn reacts when Dakota puts her arms around her waist and embraces the sheriff tightly.

She watches the way Matais drifts off, his back to them as he enters into the realm of sleep.

She watches as Alex follows suit claiming the entire couch with his long gangly limbs. His eyes shut and his breathing evens out within minutes.

She watches the way Dakota looks at her with questioning eyes.

"What are you staring at?" Illya hisses out.

"Why were you on the roof?" Comes her short reply.

"I-." Illya begins. She sighs, she couldn't say the real reason, she couldn't say that she was observing her, learning how she reacts to things, learning how she ticks. "I want to get to know you better. I miss my comrades and I think that I'm just, I don't know, I think we could be good friends."

Dakota snorts as she pulls the sleeping bag to her shoulders. "You don't want to know me, Illya. I'm all kinds of messed up."

"That's bullshit. I mean you took the chance to let that girl in. What's her name? Taryn? Yeah, that stuck up pile of shit. You know she's using you right?"

Dakota rolls her eyes. "I think you're just jealous."

"I think you're just jealous." She mocks in a higher voice. "Of what? Her ability to charm you with batting her eyelashes and giving you a gun to fix? For free I might add. You watch. I say by the end of next month she'll be fixated on someone else."

"Keep trying to make yourself feel better, Illya." Dakota says with a smirk as she rolls over, having her back face Illya.

"Don't turn your back on me, _darling_." Illya sneers. "I'm just telling you the cold facts. Plus if I was jealous-." Dakota hears Illya's sleeping bag crinkle with movement as the girl crawls out of the material. She steps over Dakota's form and lays next to her, placing their faces mere inches apart. "I wouldn't try anything this bold, because I would do something in front of _Taryn_ to prove a point." Illya whispers.

Her eyes catch the way Dakota's breath shortens, the way she swallows in nervousness. Illya clasps her hands on her arms, letting her body shiver. "Ugh, open up, I'm cold."

"W-w-what? N-no way." Dakota stammers out.

"Oh don't be such a baby. You're warm, and I'm freezing my Noxian ass out in here."

"Well that's your fault." Dakota argues.

Illya rolls her eyes as she takes the zipper, pulling it down so that she could wiggle in the tiny space. Illya looks at Dakota's wide eyes and chuckles. "Easy soldier." She murmurs, taking Dakota's arm and draping it around her own waist.

The soldier's breathing becomes stilled. Illya can feel Dakota's nervous energy, which makes the Noxian smirk. She brings a hand to Dakota's jaw, letting her fingers trail to a strand of loose hair she places behind the shape of Dakota's ear.

"Don't worry." She whispers as she nuzzles into the crook of the soldier's neck. "I won't try anything. I can tell you aren't as comfortable as I am around you... yet."

"You better not." Dakota mumbles.

Illya chuckles. She looks up to Dakota with half lidded emerald hues. She leans forward placing a chaste kiss on her pale cheek. "Goodnight Dakota. Hope you don't dream about me." She whispers with a cheshire grin.

Dakota sighs. "Why did I even let you in my sleeping bag?" She groans.

"Oh hush, you secretly like it. Now shut up and go to sleep." Illya turns over, putting her back to Dakota.

The soldier watches her intently throughout the night.

She watches the way her body moves as she breathes, the way her shoulders rise and fall. She watches the way her body turns toward her, eyebrows furrowed and full lips turned down in a frown. She watches the way she relaxes when her fingers clasps the front of _her_ shirt.

She watches and she realizes.

She realizes that she also would like to know Illya better.

She realizes that she may be in particular trouble.

She realizes that she never takes her arm off of Illya's waist.

(As Dakota makes Realizations) {My Chemical Romance- Sharpest Lives}

The end of his cane buries itself into the soft sand. The raven perched at his shoulder caws softly as she inspects the foreign soil. He places a reassuring hand by her beak, letting her nuzzle the gnarled bit against his sandpaper like skin.

"Sir," The soldier salutes and stands at attention. "They are waiting for you."

"Good, let them wait." He snarls, pushing his shoulder into the standing soldier. He strides through the gates of the new outpost, letting his eyes travel to the wooden structure. "Captain!" He bellows angrily.

A large man runs up to him as he continues his fast pace toward the outpost center. "These defenses will not due. Either have them reinforced or abandon this useless wooden mess." He orders.

The captain nods. "Of course, Grand General." He leaves his side and begins screeching orders to his men.

He arrives to the outpost centre stewing in an anger that is terrifying and powerful. He slams his cane into the door, bursting the pine material into slithers of destroyed wood. The men at the table in the middle of the room stand instantly. He strides in briskly, his raven cawing aggressively to the men of the outpost council.

"Generals." He sneers evilly as he takes the larger seat at the head of the hops of his shoulder and perches herself on the decorative headpiece of the half throne he sits himself in. "You may sit." He seethes. "Do we have contact with the shadows?" He asks briskly.

One of the generals nods his head quickly. "Yes, grand general." The man beckons to a slim young man, who sits with a strong posture. His eyes are darker than the pits of the void.

"My master sends his deepest apologies." The young man stands and bows his head in regret. "He sent me in his place, while he deals with a matter."

Swain raises a scarred eyebrow at the young man. "Does he understand the offer we are bestowing upon him?" He asks.

"Yes." The young man smiles. "And he graciously accepts. He believes that our people will greatly benefit in your cause, and we hope that we appease you with our services."

Swain rises from his seat. Slowly he begins to pace. "Excellent." He murmurs, taking steps toward the young man. He places his weathered hands onto his strong shoulders. He leans down. "Does your master not understand the power I obtain?"

The young man is taken a back. "Sir?" He asks furrowing his brow.

With a flash of speed, Swain has the boy lifted in the air. "Does he not see me as his superior?" He screams as he slams the boy into the large round table.

"Of course, sir." The boy stammers out, as he watches Swain's eyes glow into a bright red.

"Then why, is he not here?" He bellows, his voice beginning to distort into something low and monstrous.

"I'm sorry, sir." The young man raises his hands to protect himself. With a large snarl, Swain throws the boy through the broken door.

"Tell your master, that I will confirm his allegiance, when he is face to face with me. Not with a useless subordinate as yourself!"

He turns his attention to his generals with fury in his eyes. "Ensure that the _Master of Shadows_ arrives to swear fealty so that I do not waste my time with children." He growls.

They nod their heads in unison. "If this happens again, I will personally execute the lot of you!"

His raven caws loudly adding to the threat and swoops to her master. He turns his back on his generals. "Useless idiots."


	16. Chapter 16: Snowdown and Rings

(Snowdown Night) {ZEDD- Daisy Michaels}

She panics at first when she wakes up.

She panics as she does not recognise the warmth that seeps in the crook of her neck, or the tickle of lilac hair on her cheek. She panics at the feeling of limbs messily entangled with hers.

However, her brain becomes alert and recognition hits her neurons as she peels the girl from her body. Illya murmurs grumpily in her sleep as she rolls over, causing the sleeping bag to move with her. Dakota rolls her eyes as she tries to squirm out of the warm material. Eventually, she escapes, letting her bare feet pad along the cold wooden flooring as she makes her way to the sheriff's kitchen. Her fingers slide through her hair, disentangling the mess that sleep created. She finds the kettle, turning on the stove, to boil some water for her life essence of tea. As the water begins to heat up, her eyes travel to the cupboard holding the motherload of all tea puts a finger to her lips as her eyes rove the contents, reading the names of foreign flowers and exoctic herbs.

"Piltovian Breakfast blend is the best to wake up with."

Dakota whips her head to the voice, and chuckles as the sheriff meanders into the kitchen. She wraps herself tightly in her purple silk robe. Her feet are covered in a pair of poro slippers as she shuffles closer, rising to her tip toes and retrieving a black and gold cardboard box. She pulls out two pre made bags of the leaves and begins to stretch to gather two mugs.

"Allow me." Dakota reaches for the purple mug and the black mug, placing them on the counter.

Caitlyn smiles sweetly at the girl, who reaches for the soon to be screaming kettle and pours the perfect amount of boiling water. "Milk?" She asks, raising an eyebrow to the sheriff, who nods.

Dakota grins. Sliding to the double door refrigerator, she opens the wrong side first, gaining a small chuckle from the sheriff. Dakota rolls her eyes, and goes to the right door pulling the milk carton off the side and bringing it to the mugs. She spins the cap in her dexterous fingers and angles herself so that the sheriff can watch her. "Just say when."

Caitlyn can't resist missing the rough Piltovian accent in her voice. She watches the way her wrist turns as she pours the liquid giving just a small splash. "When." She whispers.

Dakota nods and pulls at a nearby drawer, smiling at herself as she got the right one, and produces a small spoon, twirling it in her fingers before she stirs the liquid. She taps the spoon on the rim of Caitlyn's mug, getting the excess tea off of the metal bit. Dakota passes the mug over to the sheriff who takes it gratefully. "Thank you."

"Anytime." Dakota mumbles as she repeats the ritual to her own mug. She places the milk back in the fridge and the dirty spoon into the basin of the sink. The girl leans her back against the counter top and takes a long sip of tea, humming in content.

"You make a good cup of tea." Caitlyn comments.

Dakota snorts. "Demacia has terrible tea, so I learned how to make a good cup or else I wouldn't have survived."

"Wise tactic." Caitlyn giggles.

"You know who made a good cup of tea?" Dakota asks from behind her mug.

Caitlyn raises her eyebrow in question.

Dakota's smirk is so genuinely trouble filled, that Caitlyn can already feel herself rolling her eyes.

"Rose. That woman was quiet the dictator when it came to our discipline, but by the gods she made a hell of a cuppa."

The Piltovian slang flows through her lips as easily as she breathes and it gives Caitlyn a content feeling. Her daughter may have been away from home for a long time, but Piltover would always be a part of her. "You are very right." She agrees, taking another short sip.

Dakota looks up curiously at Caitlyn. "Whatever happened to Rose?"

"She is currently employed by the Gansents, caring for their small children. You could visit her sometime, I'm sure she would enjoy seeing you and Elric." Caitlyn replies.

Dakota chuckles. "I can see it now." She places her mug down, and puffs her cheeks as she imitates her past nanny. "Dakota Sarah Sampson!" She squeals in a lower city accent." I thought aye taught ya buggers ta never wear black, it makes ya look gloomy." She drawls. "And look at those dark circles, how in da void hells are ya gonna get married if ya look like yer sleepin' with da dead!"

Caitlyn bursts out in a fit of laughter, almost spraying the tea that was in her mouth.

"I swear to the gods, every time I do something stupid, I can hear her screeching my name in the back of my head." Dakota beams from behind her mug.

"Rose Doyle, is quite the woman." Elric pads over to his kid sister from the kitchen entrance. He is in a comfy pair of sweatpants and a tight knit blue shirt that accentuated his sapphire eyes. He wrapped an arm around his sister's shoulders and swiped at her mug, causing Dakota to glare daggers of ice toward him. He chuckles as he takes a swig, gaining an eyeroll from his baby sister. He gives a charming wink toward Caitlyn. "She adored me."

"Because you never got caught." Dakota pokes at his ribs playfully, earning a hip nudge from her brother.

"Well, yeah. I had you to blame." He throws his back as a memory hits him. "I still feel bad for you getting blamed for breaking her limited edition Ionian Opera concerto number four record."

Dakota's mood grows sour as she pouts her lips. "I still don't forgive you for that." Dakota mumbles. "I can still feel the belt on my behind. And you got to eat brownies while I was sent to bed."

"Hey, you took a great sacrifice for your older brother." He quips as he ruffles her hair. "I had good reason to destroy that monstrosity. She would sing along with it every night while I was trying to sleep, and her room was below mine. You didn't have to live with that torture."

"You're still an ass." She grumbles as she fixes her messed hair.

"Mornin' kiddos." Vi croons happily as she comes behind Caitlyn and wraps her arms around the sheriff's waist. Her chin rests on top of her partner's shoulder. Atop her mop of short vibrantly pink hair is a red snowdown hat, with a white pom pom dangling at the side of her face. "Happy Snowdown." She kisses the top of Caitlyn's head. "Today is gonna be a great day! Falalalalala la la la YEAH!"

Like an excited puppy Vi takes off without warning, a large shit eating grin spread through her lips as she takes to the winds. Moments later the sound of Abbie shrieking echoes in the apartment.

Caitlyn pinches the bridge of her nose and sighs. She'll have to apologize for that one later. "I feel that this was our cue for us to go to the living room."

Elric claps his sister's shoulders as the two of them exit the kitchen. Caitlyn follows behind them and goes straight for her wing chair that is placed beside the snowdown tree.

Dakota and Elric circle Alex's sleeping form. Elric gives his sister a knowing look that spreads a sly grin on to her thin lips. The two of them circle to the back of the couch and in unison they tip the sofa forward causing the eighteen year old to spill on to the floor.

"Fucking rude, assholes." He grumpily pouts as he rises from the floor. His lanky form shivers from the cold. "Could've woken me a bit gently, don'tcha think?"

The Sampson siblings both chuckle as they flop onto the sofa. Illya rises from the floor, stretching her body out and yawning. She cracks her neck, rolls her ankles and wrists as she strolls over to the sofa and sits at Dakota's feet placing her temple on the teen's knees and her back against the sofa.

The soldier is flustered at the contact, but eases slightly as she begins to relax. However, she keeps Illya in the corner of her eye.

Caitlyn raises her eyebrow when did Illya become so cozy with the soldier?

Abbie grumpily saunters into the living room with a prideful Vi behind her. The redhead slinks over to Elric and curls herself in his lap, putting her cheek onto his shoulder.

"Good morning." He smiles, placing a small kiss on her forehead.

"It is not a good morning." She grumpily mumbles, pouting toward Vi.

Matais and Alex sit beside Illya taking their places beside the Sampsons' legs. Alex, wrapped in his sleeping bag, uses it as a cloak to stave off the cold. He glares grumpily through the makeshift cloak toward the sheriff.

Vi skipped over to the snowdown tree with childlike excitement. The pompom of the snowdown hat she wears bobs with each excited step. She distributed the small wrapped rectangular boxes and envelopes to the soldiers, before she skids over to Caitlyn's chair. She leaps onto one of the arms, perching herself like a vigil eagle as she clings to a very large wrapped present to her chest.

Alex is the first to inspect the beautifully wrapped box, looking at the well pressed corners and seamlessly taped edges. "Why are we getting presents?" He asks perplexed.

"Because it's snowdown." Is Vi's quick reply as her excited grin grows larger and the tattoo at her cheek crinkles with pure joy.

"But we didn't get you guys anything." Alex frowns.

"We don't need anything, Alexander. You have gifted us with a safe city and your company." Caitlyn adds as she places her hand on Vi's knee. "This is a time for you all to relax, and to have fun."

Illya snorts as she shakes her present listening for a distinct rattle. "That's awfully kind of you."

"Well stop looking at 'em!" Vi shouts. "Open 'em up!"

Dakota smirks as her fingers glide over the wrapping paper. She looks to her brother and Abbie who both have opened identical red envelopes. Abbie rolls her eyes and Elric laughs.

"You didn't have to do this." Abbie chuckles.

"Of course we did, the two of you deserve it. Enjoy your time together, it's not often that couples can ever get some alone time with each other,especially when they are busy taking care of the people they love." Caitlyn explains. "The Demacian seaside has some of the most spectacular views and it is placed far away enough to be away from the hustle and bustle of soldiers and cities. The train leaves in two days"

"Thank you, Cait." Elric beams, he wraps his arms around Abbie, placing their foreheads together. "A nice quiet vacation. It will be sublime."

"I bet you the quiet will drive us nuts in two days." Abbie jokes.

"Oh my Gods!" Matais gasps. He clutches his new spell tome to his chest. "How did you get your hands on this?"

Caitlyn and Vi share a knowing look.

"Let's just say, a very experienced spellthief had acquired it for us." Vi chuckles.

Matais's face flushes pale. "Lady C-C-crownguard got this? For me?"

"Gods, Matais, don't faint." Alex teases as he opens his intricately decorated box. He grins widely. "How'd ya know I needed new scabbards?" His eyes rove over the leather work. "Is that-?"

"The Preston Cutlass!" Abbie gawks as she takes the leather scabbard and inspects the hand crafted etchings of their father's infamous monster hunting ship.

The Preston siblings look to the beaming sheriff with wide eyes.

" A very knowledgeable man gave me the details I needed to have the leatherworker fashion it. I believe his name was Mr. Kelly." Caitlyn grins.

"Of course Gerald, would do something like this." Abbie shakes her head, her lips twitched up in an easy smile.

All eyes turn to Illya's quiet form. Her emerald hues are trained on the object in her hand. The jett black metal isn't as weighty as it looks, surprisingly being light for it's size. Her small hands wrap around the hilt as she inspects the carved pammel. The insignia of the Noxus is polished perfectly to gleam in the light of the living room. The leather in the grip is soft and well worked to feel comfortable in her hand. Her finger glides over the edge, nicking the skin on her fingertips, leaving a very pleasing clean cut. "This weapon is finely crafted." Her eyes cut to Caitlyn. "Not many can forge Noxian steel past the border."

A knowing smirk twitches the corner of Caitlyn's lips. "You are very right. Hence, is why I contacted a similar Noxian exile who is very well practiced in the forges."

" _The_ _Exile_?" Illya questions skeptically.

"She wishes you a happy snowdown and has told me to inform you that a shop in the lower district has the best meat pies outside of Noxus." Vi adds. "Riven's a pretty cool person, maybe someday the two of you could meet."

Illya smirks. "I'll be sure to send her something in thanks. I appreciate the gift, sheriff. Thank you."

"Come on, Dakota. Open yours!" Vi demands, still holding onto her massive present tightly.

Dakota rolls her eyes, but does as she is told. She opens the box to produce a Piltover Customs tank top. She unfolds the shirt putting up against her shoulders. She chuckles at the design on the chest. The flame like letters are created by the muffler of the bombadier's copter. "This is awesome." Dakota shows the shirt to everyone else as she passes it along, a red envelope flutters from the dark material. Dakota squints suspiciously to Vi, who wiggles her eyebrows. She leans to grab the envelope and opens the red paper. Her eyes widen as she inspects the two tickets. "No Way!" She yells in shock. "BATTLE MANIA SEVENTEEN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS!" Dakota launches herself off the couch and tackles Vi off of the arms of the wing chair, nearly squashing Vi's present. "Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you!" She squeals as she squeezes Vi's mid section in an excited embrace.

"I think she likes it, Cupcake." Vi laughs as she returns the embrace.

"I don't like it, I love it!" Dakota shouts.

"I told you she would." Caitlyn chuckles.

"You and I got pitt tickets, kiddo." Vi's grin is trouble filled. "We get to see the wire carnage up close and personal. Aaaand, because I'm awesome, I know some of the guys working the repair station, so you can get a look at any bot ya want."

"You guys are the best." Dakota wipes a tear from her cheeks.

"Ah don't cry, kid. Makes ya look lame." Vi taps her knuckles on the girl's arm.

"Alright, Vi. It's your turn, love." Caitlyn comments, leaning back in the wing chair. Vi rubs her palms together and sits herself at Caitlyn's feet. She crosses her legs as she sits, with Dakota kneeled beside her. She tears apart the gift wrapping like an excited wolverine.

Her loud gasp could probably be heard all the way to Bilgewater. The new leather jacket earns an awed gaze from everyone in the vicinity. The black material was adorned with Pink racing stripes that ran along the arms connecting at her placed the jacket over her body and she grinned widely when she felt the metal material on the inside. "It's stylish armor."

"Meant specifically for, how they said, 'Queen of Punk'." Caitlyn explains, rolling her eyes at the memory.

Vi grins wickedly. She poses, flexing her biceps and feeling the way the jacket works with her movements. "Wanna test out that sword Illya?"

"Absolutely not, Vi." Caitlyn warns.

"Fine, Cupcake." Vi rolls her eyes playfully. She turns her attention to Dakota who gives a mischievous smirk.

"I put hers under the tree." Dakota replied. "I'll get it."

"Hers?" Caitlyn asks. Her memory goes back to Dakota standing guard in front of a steaming hot forge. "Oh, the snowdown present the two of you made."

"There's two parts to it." Vi mentions as she watches Dakota crawling underneath the massive Ionian fir tree.

"Found it." Dakota rises victoriously holding a small velvet box in her dexterous hands. She takes the necessary steps to reach Caitlyn and presents the box to the Sheriff. "It's from all of us."

"Thank you." Caitlyn whispers gratefully, taking the small velvet box gingerly in her lithe hands.

Dakota backs up, hugging herself as she watches the sheriff with a nervous energy.

Caitlyn opens the small box and gasps at the beautiful piece. The glowing platinum gleamed off the light. On the outer front shell was a masterfully carved out hextech hummingbird with a scripted CD engraved in the corner of one of it's wings. She popped the latch to peel the shell back to look at a beautiful gem encrusted clock face. Languid flowing script was inscribed on the inside.

 _The Hero of Many_

"Vi said that your pocket watch got destroyed when Jinx attacked. So we put the money together to get some decent material and with Vi's help, we built it from scratch. Illya drew the Hummingbird." Dakota looked to her feet, watching as her toe tapped the wooden floor.

"It's gorgeous." Caitlyn remarked, pulling the long chain up to inspect the shine of the platinum material.

"It's made out of the highest grade of Platinum possible. It could get shot by armor piercing bullets, even magic and not get a single dent." Dakota explained. "It was my first time with clockwork, so if it malfunctions, I'll take it to a professional to get it calibrated properly."

"It seems very well made, Dakota. Thank you for this. I had no idea Illya had such an artistic talent." She quipped, making the Noxian blush.

"It's just a hobby." She mumbles, turning her attention back to her short sword.

"Now it's my turn." Vi chuckles. "Cait, c'mere."

Caitlyn furrowed her brow as she rose from the wing chair, taking her place beside Vi. The pinkette extended her hands, entwining the sheriff's fingers with hers.. "What are you doing, Vi?'

"Shhh, don't ask questions." She leaned forward and kissed Caitlyn's forehead. "Alright, Dakota, pass it over."

Caitlyn watched the small exchange between the teenager and the pinkette. Vi turned her attention back to Caitlyn and gave a shaky breath. She gave her iconic charming side smile toward the sheriff.

"Cait, you need to know, that you changed my life the day we met. I thought you were this high class priss that would just look down your nose at me, but ya didn't. You gave me a chance to prove myself and to prove that I wasn't some criminal with good intentions. I never considered myself a hero, but some kid who stands here with us today, told me I was one of her greatest inspirations. That was all because of you." Vi then fell to one knee, her violet eyes showing a vulnerable side of herself, baring her soul to her partner. In her hand, was an open ring box, revealing a beautiful gold and diamond ring.

Caitlyn's heart beat like a wild horse. Her hand went to her mouth as her eyes widened in shock.

"Cupcake, these past nine years, have been the best nine years of my life and I don't want it to stop. I want to do this life thing with you for the rest of my days. I got your mother's and your father's blessing, because I wanted show the greatest respects to them. So, Caitlyn, sheriff, partner, in the witness of friends, Will you marry me?"

Caitlyn had never said yes so fast in her life.

***************************************************************/)(\\******************************************

(That evening) {Linkin Park- Catalyst}

The shadows had always been something he was comfortable in. Even as a young lad, the dark had never been something he was afraid of, so when the opportunity arose, to be one with the shadows, he knew he would sacrifice anything for it.

He would lead his people to the greatness they deserved. He would take Ionia and raise it to the great nation it once was.

Noxians have always been something to respect.

And fear.

However, he would show no fear, he had no fear to give.

He met the Noxian.

The shadows had coursed off of him like clouds breaking from the tip of a mountain. He appeared, his image solid with his edges vaporous and non existent of light. His ruby eyes, were cold as they stared at the grand general.

"You've finally showed your face." Swain sneered. His raven cocked her head, blinking her four eyes to the master of shadows.

"Indeed I did. I shouldn't be shocked that you knew I was following you." Zed added.

"I knew you were following me since I stepped onto Ionia." The Noxian growled.

"I needed to ensure that you were to keep your word. I must admit, you are quite the leader and you blew my expectations right out of the water. I hope you understand my meaning for being so discreet, I needed to ensure you were genuine. You are offering a lot to my people."

Swain nods. "No, I do understand. Your wisdom will be quite the tool to correct the Noxian war machine." He chuckles evilly. "However," He snarls. "If you intend to work with me, you will not hide yourself in secrecy unless asked."

Zed bowed. "You have my word grand general."

Swain's lips turned up with malicious intent. "Excellent, let us plan, master of shadows. We have an island to conquer."

***********************************************************/)(\\**********************************************

(Snowdown Night) {Julie Fowlis- Lon-dubh (Scots Gaelic Rendition of Blackbird)}

Her icy eyes fluttered open in the quiet space of the dark living room.

The hexavision had long been turned off. The city lights illuminating from the balcony and massive bay windows revealed the scene in front of her. Alex was curled up in the wing chair. His head hanging off the arm, his mouth agape as he breathed through his sleep. Wrapped in his sleeping bag, Matais had his back to the sheriff, his shoulders rising and falling with each deep breath he took. Abbie and Elric were nowhere in sight, probably back in the guest bedroom.

She looked up to see Vi passed out, with her face pressed into her fist, drool hanging from the side of her mouth as she quietly snored. She chuckled as she regarded her form, spread along the entirety of the couch. She had rested her head on Vi's thigh with the brawler's arm laying across her waist.

The sheriff's right arm, however, made her body freeze up. Caitlyn's nose had been nuzzled into the back of Dakota's neck, catching the girl's scent of mint and fire. The sheriff's arm had been draped over the soldier's shoulder, resting along the girl's body . Dakota's temple was pressed into Vi's knee cap at the base of the sofa. She was lost to the realm of sleep and dreams. Illya had managed to entwine herself with Dakota, her head resting against the soldier's chest, with Dakota's arm wrapped around the girl's body.

Caitlyn smiled softly as she relaxed. She was in pure bliss with her _fiancee_ and her daughter sleeping in close vicinity to each other.

Vi was right, it was a good day. They had all spent it together playing board games, watching movies and eating a disgusting amount of pizza. It was probably the most lazy Snowdown she had ever had, but nevertheless, it might have been the best one. She pulled the girl closer, humming in content. It felt amazing to be in the proximity of her biological daughter. If she had been more in a conscious state she would have been more cautious around the girl.

But Caitlyn couldn't care less now.

She wouldn't care that someone could see her nuzzling closer, and tightening her arm around the girl, who in her sleep, moved closer to the sheriff.

She couldn't care that her father hated Dakota for the very breath she breathed.

She couldn't care.

And so she would be selfish and enjoy the warmth her daughter provided for her. She would enjoy this bond, that she was forging under the Ionian fir snowdown tree.

She and Dakota were happy and safe, and that's all she cared about.

***********************************************************/)(\\**********************************************

(The Next Day) {Tom Day-Who We Want To Be)

It had never been more frightened in it's life. With every panic bound, it's heart threatened to explode. It's chest almost imploded with each panicked breath.

Where does it go? Where does it hide?

How will it be remembered?

The sounds of bloodthirsty hounds bayed, causing it to falter as terror shook it's core.

The sound of metal sliding back catches it's ears like the gritting sound of the hounds.

A chill runs through it's body.

This was it.

This is how it was to die.

The smell of gunpowder strikes it's nose, as a thunderous sound echoes out into the cold winter air. The concussion of the metal pierced it's skull causing it to keen out in agony before collapsing to the white snow covered ground. Blood speckled the pure white fluff.

It twitched twice before it's amber eyes faded into lifelessness.

"You know, it fills me with a terrified pride when I see you shoot." Caitlyn's mother smirks, as she breathes in the thermos cup of Lemon grass tea. She is wrapped in a warm furs huddled close to her prone daughter. They are both up in the trees, in a hunting stand. A pair of binoculars, hang from Catherine's swan like neck, as she watches her daughter rise using her elbows. Caitlyn brushes snow off her body as she sets the safety onto the rifle, and carefully places it onto the hunting stands high up shelf.

"Vi, the stag is north east about a kilometer and a half away." She calls down to two figures huddled in a hunting blind below them.

"Gotcha, Cupcake. We'll go collect! C'mon Peter, time to go traipsing around in the snow!" She croons out as she nudges the middle aged man playfully.

The two begin their hike into the cold. Caitlyn seats herself next to her mother, gratefully taking a steaming thermos cup, her mother poured for her. From the viewpoint the two women have based themselves they can see their loved ones, pushing through the snow. The hunting dogs happily circle at their feet as they follow the hunting masters.

"So, how are you doing? You seemed quite peeved with your father after you stormed out." Catherine brings up as she keeps her eyes on the backs of Vi and Peter.

Caitlyn's mood shifts as her smile fades into tight lipped emotions. "I am fine."

"Stubborn as always, my dear." Catherine sighs. "You know, I am with you on this case. He has got to get over this whole situation."

Caitlyn rolls her eyes. "Mother we don't need to get into this. What's done is done. If he does not want a relationship with her, that's his choice. End of discussion."

"How is she doing?" Catherine completely ignores Caitlyn.

The sheriff sighs finally succumbing to her mother's will. "She's fine. She bears no ill thought toward him." Caitlyn grumbles.

"She seems like the forgiving type." Catherine comments.

"He doesn't deserve her forgiveness. I apologize mother, but he was acting like an irritable twat and it angered me completely."

"I know love, I can tell by the way you have been ignoring him the entire trip. I had quite the chat with him, after you and the guests left. I believe his consumption of alcohol altered his ability to have a filter."

"Mmm," Caitlyn agrees. She brings her knees up to her chest. " I understand why he is like that with her, but she deserves so much, mother. She is bright ,astounding, talented, intuitive and creative." She digs into her pocket producing her new pocket watch. "I mean look at this." She passes the object to her mother who gasps at the beauty of the piece. "Vi told me that she slaved over it for three days straight. She did everything except for the illustration on the front."

Catherine inspects the pocket watch with intense eyes, observing the well crafted arms of the watch and the perfectly polished shells. "It's incredible."

"She's sixteen and capable of some amazing things. Her spirit is fierce as well, she does not give up easily." Caitlyn chuckles. "She is quite the devil in the fighting ring."

Catherine smiles widely. "She sounds just like you when you were younger."

Caitlyn scoffs. "She is much better than I am."

Catherine shrugs. "Well as your mother, I could describe you the same as you had just described her." A small smirk tips at her mother's cheeks as she brings the thermos cup to her lips. "You don't give up easy. It's something I admire in you and your father."

"Ugh, mother do not get sappy on me." Caitlyn teases.

"Speaking of sappy, I see the ring on your finger, darling. Vi finally popped the question?" Her mother gets giddy.

Caitlyn blushes, pulling the furs around her body closer to her face. "Yes, she did." Caitlyn mumbles, as her face turns scarlet.

"Oh you love struck fool, let me see the ring." Catherine teases, grabbing at her daughter's left hand and inspecting the golden ring. "She had asked us for your hand last month. I have to say, for a woman who was raised on the streets, she is quite familiar with our customs."

Caitlyn smirks. "She probably asked Jayce or Ezreal. She is determined to ensure she does the whole 'marrying' thing right."

"Well I appreciate it." Catherine smiles as she takes another sip of tea. "What does Vi think about you and Dakota?"

Caitlyn is quiet as she looks to her knees.

"You haven't told her?" Catherine stares at her daughter incredulously. "Darling, you need to tell her this. You should have told her the day she met Dakota."

"I wasn't... sure." Caitlyn admits.

"I'm sure VI would understand, love." Catherine coos as she puts an arm around her daughter's shoulder, embracing her discomfort.

"I just..I just don't want her to hate Dakota like father hates her. She isn't some monster. She isn't _him_." She whispers sadly.

"I know love. She is nothing like that monster." Catherine holds her daughter tightly to her chest.

In the distance Vi and Peter stare at the stag carcass in wonder.

***********************************************************/)(\\**********************************************

(Two days later) {Stromae- Papaoutai}

Excitement ran through her bloodstream like a potent drug. Her eyes took in the spectacle with unleashed giddiness.

"C'mon, saw 'em in half!" Vi bellowed as she cheered the battling robot on. The crowd around them roared in excitement as the large humanoid shaped robot, attacked it's opponent with incredible power. Metal screeched and groaned as the chainsaw arm dismembered the enemy with extreme ease. Wires and sparks were revealed to the crowd, making them roar even louder.

Dakota craned her neck to look at the electronic carnage before her. Her icy eyes took in the scene with awe struck eyes. "This is amazing! I can see the motherboards from here!" She yells over the crowd. Vi's pitt tickets were up close to the ring, basically putting them right next to the caged area. If the bots could bleed, they would have been soaked in it.

With wonder filled icy eyes, Dakota had never seen anything so amazing in her entire life.

The winning bot tore into its opponent viciously causing angry sparks to fly out to the screaming crowd. With a squelching groan, the bot tore its opponent in half.

The crowd was deafening as they leaped from their seats, arms up in pure victory. Vi wrapped her arms around Dakota lifting the teen up and placing her on her shoulders as the bot went around the cage touching the hands of fans. Dakota reached her hand out, feeling the cool metal touch her pale skin.

Eventually the bot was escorted out and the crowd dissipated. Vi mused Dakota's raven black hair as the teen practically vibrated with excitement. Her pupils large, looked up to Vi. "It was so amazing!" She shook uncontrollably. "We could see everything! We need to do this again!"

"Ya got it kiddo. Cait doesn't get as excited like you do so this makes bot fighting much more fun." She chuckles. "Now c'mon, let's go meet the champ."

Dakota's maniacal giggle, made the pinkette roll her eyes as she hip checked the girl playfully.

They walked through the arena halls, down a flight of stairs, until they were in the underbelly of the bot fighting pitts. Crowds milled about, inspecting torn apart opponents, smaller bot fight rings, and champion kiosks. They pushed through the flow of people, moving toward the champion. A circle of people huddled around the kiosk. The bot was posing with fans, while it's engineers stood with their arms behind their backs, their chins turned up in pride.

"Tom Conolly!" Vi called out, causing one of the head engineers to snap his head to the pinkette. His grin widened as he caught sight of Vi.

"Vi! It's good ta see ya!" He calls out gruffly. His voice was very low and heavy heavily accented of the lower city. His jett black hair was as dark as his eyes. His weathered pale face was crinkled up in joy as he embraced the pinkette. His eyes didn't even go to the teen beside her, who was having a hard time trying to keep her cool as she was too close to the fighting bot. She wanted to inspect everything, take it apart and see what made it move so efficiently. Her eyes were locked onto the gleaming metal chest. That's where it's main components must have been, because that was solid Ionian platinum, one of the strongest and most expensive metals on the market.

"Vi," Dakota squeaked excitedly. "It's so beautiful."

Tom finally took notice of the girl, his brow furrowed heavily. "By the void, I thought ya had the sheriff next ta ya! Who in da hell is this gremlin?" Tom asked grumpily.

Vi chuckled. "This gremlin is my assistant, Dakota. Quite the lil' nerd too." The pinkette joked.

Dakota waved Vi off as she kept her icy eyes to the fighting bot. She turned her attention to Tom. "May I see it?" She asked, with wide puppy dog like eyes.

"Uh…" The man took a step back. "Yeah, go right ahead, kid. Just don't touch nothin'." He warned.

Dakota took off instantly as soon as she heard the man utter 'yeah'.

"You shouldn't have brought her here. Uptown folks, don't do well in these parts." He mumbles toward Vi, who crosses her arms over her chest. Dakota surrounds the bot with observative eyes, trying to keep her hands away from it.

"She's just a kid, Tom." Vi snorts. "She's a soldier and she doesn't get ta do awesome things, like a normal sixteen year old should do."

"Look at ya being responsible." He jokes.

"Hey, I learned it from the best." She smirks toward Tom as he playfully taps the pinkette's shoulders with his knuckles.

"Well, just keep her away from Nicholas. Her kind don't do well with my brother's kind. She looks like she could be the sheriff's pup with looks like those." He squints his eyes suspiciously. "Topsidders all look the same."

Vi grins. "Speaking of Topsidders," She reveals her left hand, showing the gold band around her ring finger.

"Fucking took ya long enough." He pokes. "By the void, girl. That shoulda happened years ago."

Vi suddenly jumps in panic as she finds that Dakota is nowhere in sight. "Where'd she go? She was just there!"

Tom stands from his laid back position craning his neck to look around the crowd. The colour in Vi's face drains completely as the realization hits.

"Dakota?" She calls out over the crowd. "Dakota!"

Not a single reply is uttered.

Tom takes to the people swarming around his bot, asking the crowd if they had seen something.

Vi frantically searches the milling people, looking for the mop of familiar black hair.

"Vi!" Tom calls out. "Nicholas is missing!"

"Son of a bitch!" Vi roars. "Where'd he go, Tom?" She snarls angrily,stomping toward the man with intense anger. She flips her hexcommunicator open, punching in numbers aggressively. Caitlyn was going to lose her mind.

"I think I know where. Follow me!" He calls already making room through the stream of people, sprinting with Vi behind him.

***********************************************************/)(\\**********************************************

(seconds earlier) {Skope-Wouldn't I}

"Little bitch!" The large man grunts. Dakota's knee connected into his stomach. With a roar he charges the girl, slamming her into the brick wall.

The breath escapes from her body, as his large hands grab at her neck, closing her airways.

"I shoulda known she would have hidden you away!" He screams in her face. " It's been sixteen long years of hiding from her, making sure she doesn't catch me, and all along, she hid you from me! My own flesh and blood." He grits his teeth as he tightens his grip around her throat. His jett black hair was getting soaked through the intense snow that blizzard in the alley.

"I...don't...know..what..you're..talking ...about." Dakota wheezed out. She claws at his arms trying to cause a distraction as she brings her foot to slam into his thigh, making him release her as he reeled back.

Dakota coughed as her airway expanded, billows of cold air filling her desperate lungs. She couldn't take the time to regain her breath. She exploded forward, blowing past the angry man. She slipped forward, scraping her palms as she scrabbled up.

"Oh no you don't little rabbit. I'm not done with you yet!" He bellows, his low voice causing terrified tremors through her body. He reached forward grabbing at her ankle, and dragged the girl back. Dakota clawed at the concrete, trying to find some kind of purchase to pull herself away from the man. She kicked out at him, her foot connecting into his nose and making him snarl like a rabid dog. He released her momentarily as he brought his hands around his nose, cradling the broken cartilage.

With insane desperation she tries to take get back up, but he recovers quickly. He leaps onto the escaping girl like a prowling lion.

"Get off of me!" She growls, pushing her body up to fight against his weight.

He flips her body, pinning her to the watery cement. He straddles her hips, keeping her down, his large hands collecting her wrists and pinning them above her head.

"You even sound like her." He grins mischievously. His fingers dance along the midriff of her shirt, touching her exposed belly."I wonder if you scream like her." He purrs.

With an enraged battle cry, she bucks her hips, over throwing his balance. She rolls as soon as she senses his misbalance, switching their positions. She slams her fist into his cheek, making him howl out in pain filled rage. She presses her knee into his windpipe, watching his black eyes widen in fear, as she bears her teeth to the man.

He scratches at her knee, as he desperately tries to breathe. He flails his long limbs, striking her face and clawing along the skin of her neck. Dakota cries out as she is pushed off of him. She quickly gets to her feet and raises her fists.

"I am not who you think I am!" She screams. "Back off, or I will be forced to incapacitate you."

"Your mother teach you that?" He growls, clenching and unclenching his fists. "Where is she now girl?"

"Six feet under the ground with my father, where you will be when I'm done with you!" She spits.

"Fucking liar!" He bellows. "I know who you are, Deramore!" He leaps forward extending his fist out, she blocks him as she ducks low, wrapping her arms around his waist. He slams his knee into her abdomen, causing her to breathe out harshly. He slams her back up against the wall again, cracking her head into the brick with a sickening thud. "And Caitlyn Deramore is your mother!" He screams slamming his fist into her nose causing it to crack loudly. Blood flew out of her mouth as she blearily looked back to the man. He slammed his fist straight into her gut, causing Dakota to buckle over his fist and wheeze out. "And I'm the sap whose seed you came from." His evil laughter shakes her to the core as she looks to the man with hate filled eyes.

Rage enters her bloodstream, coursing through her body as she tastes the coppery material in her mouth.

"I am Dakota Sampson!" She snarls viciously as she rises from her buckled form. She spits a globule of blood and saliva at his feet. "You do NOT know who I am!" She bellows in his face slamming her palms into his chest, pushing the large man away from her.

"Nicholas Connolly!" The sharp accent cuts through the storm flurrying around the two fighters. Caitlyn stands at the mouth of the alley, her rifle is placed against her shoulder, the laser sight aimed at his forehead. "You are under arrest for the assault of a minor and for the assault of an officer! Stand down with your hands on your head and kneeled facing the wall, or I will shoot!" She warns.

A loud sharp laugh comes from the man. "Speak of the She Devil and she appears!" He hisses. He turns his attention to Dakota with an evil look in his black eyes. He draws a pistol with blinking speed and presses it against her forehead.

Dakota does not flinch as she stares the man down. "Tell her sheriff! Tell her how I fucked you!"

"Nicholas Connolly drop the weapon now!" She orders, keeping her voice authoritative. She takes careful steps forward, keeping the muzzle of the rifle steady. Her icy eyes are focused as she waits patiently for him to drop the weapon.

Dakota squares her shoulders. She presses her forehead into barrell as she clenches and unclenches her fists. "C'mon, Nicholas. " She breathes. "You've got no way out of this." She says under her breath. "Either shoot me, and get charged with cold blooded murder, or put it down and get charged with assault. Either way, you will be charged with something." She growls, keeping Nicholas's attention on her.

A flash of pink hits her sightline, but she does not flick her eyes to it. She keeps a steady gaze that captures the man's angered attention toward her.

Time slows as Vi's strong arms go around the man's neck. Dakota ducks low, her hands going to the pistol and pushing it up so that it fires off into the upper part of the alley way. She slams her elbow into his chest, hitting his sternum with extreme force. Vi squeezes her arms together closing off Nicholas's airway. Dakota twists at the man's wrists causing him to drop the pistol and into her grip. She quickly dislodges the magazine, throwing the cartridge off to the side. She sets the safety and places it down on the cement. She kicks it toward Caitlyn's feet, and helps Vi bring the man onto his stomach.

Caitlyn lowers the rifle as she reaches behind her and throws a pair of handcuffs Vi's way. The pinkette catches it easily, pressing her knee into the center of his shoulder blades. Dakota keeps the writhing man in place as Vi cuffs the criminal's hands behind his back. "You have the right to remain silent, anything can and will be held against you at the court of law. You have the right to an attorney, if you cannot afford one, we will have one appointed for you." Vi begins as she iterates the criminal's rights as she marches him out of the alley and to the waiting police cruisers, their lights flashing off of the rain and brick walls.

Dakota bends low, resting on the balls of her feet. She slides her fingers through her hair, taking deep breaths and counting up her injuries. She definitely had cracked a few ribs. Her palms, shake as blood and rain mix through the torn skin. Blood drips from her broken nose, falling to the snow covered ground and marking it in scarlet.

She sighs heavily when she hears the sheriff's boots approach her.

"Dakota," Caitlyn begins. "Are you okay?" She asks, standing in front of the teenager.

Dakota looks up to the sheriff with intense icy hues. "Tell me what he said was false!" She demands quickly, rising from her crouch. She winces as her ribs stretch with her movements.

"Dakota I-" Caitlyn stutters.

"Tell me." She snarls. "Tell me that he attacked me because of some delusion. Tell me he was spewing something he had made up just to have an excuse to have his way with me. Tell me that this was some random thing, that a man I have never met before in my life, claimed that he was actually my father."

Caitlyn frowns. The sheriff hugs herself self consciously, trying to fight off the cold from Dakota and the weather. Tears line at her eyes as she looks away from the teen.

She never wanted it to be this way. She never wanted Dakota to find out like this.

"Dakota I-" Caitlyn begins, her voice cracking at the final syllable. "I can't." She whispers out, tears lining her cheeks as snow cascades down on them. She looks down to her feet as her heart tears out of her chest. "He- I." She finally breaks down. Her sobs tear into the blood soaked alleyway. "Everything he said was true!" She admits pressing her palms into her eyes. "I was attacked, Dakota. He attacked me because I was an easy revenge plot."

She finally looks up to Dakota, who is frozen in place. Caitlyn takes a step toward the soldier, reaching her arm out to the girl, who instantly backs up. "Don't touch me!" She barks out, causing Caitlyn to recoil instantly.

"I didn't mean for it to be like this!" Caitlyn explains.

"No but you kept this from me! Who else knew?" Dakota demands. "Vi? Elric? Fuck, Abbie?" She screams.

"Not one of them knew," She lies. "Your parents and I kept it from you, so that you could live a happy life. I only wanted the best for you!"

"You lied to me!" Dakota screams.

"Dakota please, you need to understand this. I only wanted you to be safe." She reaches out again, trying desperately to touch the girl reassuringly.

The teen slaps the woman's hand away. "Don't fucking touch me!" She snaps. "I trusted you." She whispers out sadly. Betrayal lines her icy hues as she takes steps backward, her hands raised. "I can't believe you right now. I can't believe-." Her voice breaks as Caitlyn tries again to step near the girl.

"Don't fucking come near me ever again. Don't even talk to me ever again, you filthy fucking liar!" It's then that she turns on her heels and sprints out of the alleway, blowing past Vi who looks at the girl in surprise. Her face falls as she finds Caitlyn sobbing into her hands in the middle of the alleyway. The pinkette strides over to Caitlyn, collecting the raven haired woman in her arms. Caitlyn cries into Vi's shoulder.

"Easy, cupcake." Vi coos softly, stroking the sheriff's back reassuringly. "What happened babe?"

"You have to promise me, you will not be angry." Caitlyn hiccups, wiping her face in the fabric of Vi's hoodie.

"Why would I be angry, Cait?" Vi asks with a soft voice, kissing at her fiancee's forehead.

"I haven't been totally honest with you." Caitlyn admits. "I have to tell you something."

"Cait, you know I'll always have your six no matter what. I tell you what. Let's get you some tea, and we'll talk." Vi suggests.

"But Dako-" Caitlyn begins.

"Is a big girl. She'll find her way home." Vi finishes. "Plus by the way she booked it out of there, she seems like she needs to figure some things out by let's get you somewhere warm, before ya freeze to death, cupcake."

***********************************************************/)(\\**********************************************

(thirty minutes later) {Imogen Heap-Entanglement}

She's never felt this angry before in her entire life. Everything she knew and loved was a complete and total lie.

How could she keep something like this from her? How could someone she trust turn her world upside down so easily?

She throws open the door to her room, slamming the door shut behind her. She kicks her boots off her feet and throws her canvas winter jacket onto her made bed. She peels the piltover customs tank top off of her body and throws it angrily to the hamper. She looks to her abdomen and swears angrily at the bruising starting around her chest and stomach.

"For fuck's sakes!" She screams angrily, kicking at the garbage can that resides by her desk. She slumps herself into the stool holding her head in her hands.

Her keen ears catch the sound of knuckles brushing against the door frame. "Fuck off!" She yells at the intruder.

"That is awfully rude of you, Dakota." Illya's voice is muffled from behind the door.

"Leave me alone, Illya!" Dakota growls.

"Open the door, darling. I sense that you are downright pissed."

"Thank you sherlock, for deducing such an obvious statement!" Dakota bellows back.

"By the void you are in a sassy mood today." Illya snorts from behind the door.

The two girls are silent for a moment.

Illya sighs at the door. She looks at the door frame, tracing the way the crown moulding barriers the door from the wall. "Look, Dakota, I'm not good with this whole, talking thing, but I can tell you're pissed about something. Let me be your shoulder to punch on or whatever it is."

She counts the seconds as they pass by. Finally, the door clicks open and Dakota presents her room to Illya. The Noxian looks at the shirtless girl, who pulls a long sleeved knit t-shirt over her scarred and bruised torso. Dakota's expression is annoyed as she steps aside and sits at her desk. Her hands instantly start to busy themselves with pieces of hextech.

"Those bruises looked pretty nasty and fresh." Illya remarks as she carefully steps into Dakota's personal lair. "And by the dried blood on your jacket it seems like you got into quite the fight. How does your nose feel?"

Dakota freezes, her fingers are halfway from placing a new joint in for her hextech bug.

"So you did get in a fight."

"It was with my biological father." Her voice is flat and cold and it sends a shiver down her spine.

"Ahh, so you finally figured it out huh?" Illya seats herself onto Dakota's bed crossing her legs and resting her head on her fist.

Dakota's spine goes stiff at the Noxian's statement. "What do you mean?" It's almost a snarl, but Dakota closes her eyes to calm herself.

Illya smirks. This was going to be rich.

"I mean, you and Elric don't even look alike. I put two and two together when I saw the way the sheriff acted around you. I understand from your perspective, you wouldn't be able to see the similarities the two of you share. Frankly, I'm surprised Vi hadn't figured it out yet." Illya rolls her eyes as she breathes at her loose bangs that fall in front of her face.

Dakota is quiet. She breathes slowly, trying to calm the anger rising in her body. She begins to busy herself again, picking apart the gears and adjusting pins.

Illya cocks her head to the side as Dakota goes through her calming process. She watches intently as carefully, the Piltovian in front of her, works through her inner thoughts. It must be hell learning that your life had been an entire lie. That her family, wasn't even her family. The family that she grieved and loved, wasn't even her own.

What a shame.

Slowly Illya rises from Dakota's bed. She pads along the carpeting, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Dakota." Illya says softly, placing her hand gently on the girl's shoulder. The soldier freezes under her touch. "Dakota," She repeats, catching the girl's attention. Emerald catches ice and even though Dakota is hiding her pain, she can see the hurt in the girl's eyes.

She tips the soldier's chin upward with two fingers as she let's her eyes rove over her face. "I'm not good with this whole emotional thing. It's not a Noxian's forte." She whispered quietly, letting her hand slip to Dakota's jawline. "But I want you to know, I am here for you. These past couple of months, I have learned so much from you and I've grown as a person. You've helped me see that strength is not the only thing to live for." She straddles Dakota's lap, causing the girl to swallow nervously.

The Noxian wraps her small arms around Dakota's swan like neck and embraces the soldier tightly. She can feel the hesitation, before Dakota reciprocates the embrace. Illya nuzzles into her shoulder. She begins to place small gentle pecks along the side of her neck, making the girl underneath her shiver. Eventually her trail leads to her jawline and Dakota meets her in the middle, crashing their lips together in a heated exchange.

It takes Illya by surprise that the soldier would take them a step further, but soon her emerald hues flutter closed and she loses herself in the heat of the kiss. Dakota stands then, lifting the girl so that Illya's legs are wrapped around her waist. The Noxian's fingers tangle with Dakota's raven black hair. She groans in the back of her throat as Dakota's tongue traces her upper lip. Illya breaks from the kiss, panting as she tries to catch her breath. Dakota goes to her neck, gently nipping at the skin.

The two girls fall into the bed, pressing their lips and bodies together. Dakota's anger turns into passion as she kisses the Noxian deeply. Illya grabs at Dakota's shirt, pulling it over her head. Dakota's fingers go straight to the buttons on Illya's shirt, quickly and efficiently unbuttoning them with her dexterous fingers. She pushes the white fabric away and places small kisses or her collarbone, nipping at the skin, causing the Noxian to close her eyes at the feeling.

She was not expecting this. Illya did not expect this to work, but by the gods, she was so thankful it did. Dakota had hit her breaking point and all she wanted to do was forget herself. To lose herself in another human being.

And Illya was more than willing to help her lose herself.

Especially, if Dakota was going to kiss her like that the entire night. The Piltovian had made her breathless so easily, and in the back of her mind, it scared her, that Dakota obtained that power.

Only Tobias Ritcher, could make her do that.

She shook her head mentally.

No she would not think of Ritcher in the middle of Dakota displaying this vulnerability to her. She had to focus on the girl, the girl she was trying desperately to gain the attention of.

She grinned to herself as Dakota began to trail her lips down the sides of her abdomen and nips at her hip bones. The Piltovian came back up to press her forehead to the Noxian, breathing heavily, ice locked with emerald.

"Illya?" She breathed out, her fingers hovered above the waistband of the Noxian's sweatpants.

"Yes, darling Dakota?" Illya replied squirming at the ticklish sensation. She pressed her face into the side of Dakota's neck and captured the girl's earlobe with her teeth, causing the soldier to shiver.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Dakota asked.

"Of course," Illya breathed out as the soldier's fingertips roamed along her toned stomach. "Gods Dakota, stop teasing me." Illya growled, pulling the girl's face to hers pressing their lips hungrily together. She clawed down the soldier's back as the soldier obliged.

Illya's gasp was like music to the soldier's ears and it caused a playful smirk to grace Dakota's lips.

"Smirk all you want now." Illya breathed squirming under Dakota's amazing touch. "But I am going to wipe it off by the end of the nig- Oh gods Dakota." She moaned pressing her forehead into the Piltovian's bare shoulder.

"You were saying?" Dakota teased, her anger and sadness lost to the winds of something more primal.

"Fuck off and get undressed already!" Illya growled.


	17. Chapter 17: Forgiveness and Innocence

**a/n- hey bbs. So first off, I'm a super sorry that this took forever. I have been going in and out of the hospital with some health issues. But I am a-ok now. So I hope you enjoy this chapter, and I hope you guys didn't miss me too much. Also... Myself and a very good friend of mine are running an Rp blog for the fifty first. feel free to check it out. I have a few drabbles on there and even some rps with some amazing people. thefiftyfirst (dots) tumblr (dots) com See you folks around!**

{Enkidu-Falling)

Everything felt off balance.

The world she had created, tumbled down with the seismic motion of truth, embedding regret and anguish into her facial features.

Her heart pounded in her chest, her breathing became rapid, eyes shifting back and forth.

Out of everything that had happened. Out of everything that she had conquered. Out of all the inner demons she had slayed to move forward.

Why, in the world, had it happened now and with _him_?

A man so heinous and vile. A man who hid himself among good people like a hungry wolf in sheep's clothing, waiting for it's chance to strike at someone helpless and unknowing.

Just like what he did to her.

She shivered involuntarily at the thought of _him_ prowling the streets like a lonesome and feared tiger.

She should have stopped him. She should have caught him. She should have punished him.

But she was weakened by her father's will and her mother's good intentions. She had put _him_ to the back burner and focused on healing her physical and mental wounds, so that she could move forward and live a fulfilling life.

She could have done a lot of things and she hated herself in that moment, because someone innocent and dear to her heart got harmed because of her stupid actions.

She should have went after him. Why in the gods had she not went after him?

"Cupcake….just breathe." Vi murmurs as she wraps her fiancee in a warm wool blanket out of their cruiser's trunk. Red and blue flashing lights glance off the walls of the alleyway as the other cruiser races off to HQ, leaving the Sheriff and the Deputy to their own guides Caitlyn to the side of the cruiser, opening the door and seating her into the warm leather. She kneels down in front of her, grabbing the sheriff's hands in her own calloused warm grip, dragging her thumbs in soothing circles over her soft knuckles. Her scarred brow is furrowed in worry as her violet eyes go over the woman in front of her, trying to pinpoint the source of her hurt and sadness so that she could demolish it in true Vi fashion. She reaches underneath the driver side seat, revealing a silver thermos. She unscrews the cap, and pours hot tea into the thermos cup and gingerly passes it over to Caitlyn.

The sheriff takes it gratefully, holding the portable mug to her face and letting the steam warm her tear streaked face. "Thank you, love." She hiccoughs quietly. She huddles closer into the wool blanket as she takes a few deep breaths to calm herself.

As if Caitlyn was a fragile bird, Vi reaches out slowly to let her thumb trail over her right cheek and brush away the tears. Icy eyes close, as the sheriff nuzzles her face into her enforcer's rough and warm palms.

"You know I'll always love ya, Cait." Vi cups Caitlyn's face, her violet eyes going soft as she worries for her lover. "You know I'll go to the ends of Runeterra for ya, babe."

Caitlyn's lower lip trembles slightly as she regards the care and worry in her partner's face. "Of course," She mumbles out. "And I, for you. This is why I hid this from you, because I didn't want you to-to-..." Caitlyn begins to sputter out into a sob. "I'm so sorry, Vi." The Sheriff throws her arms around Vi's neck, tossing the almost empty thermos cup to the ground. She embraces Vi tightly, sobbing into the crook of the pinkette's neck. Vi's strong arms wrap around her tightly, her hands grip her fiancee like a vice.

"Shhh, Cait. It's ok, hun. I'm here and I ain't going anywhere." She hushes the sobbing woman. " 'Sides, Cupcake. I got yer six, so if anyone's bothering ya, I'll give 'em a little ol' piece of me. Give 'em the good ol' jazz hands and pop."

This makes Caitlyn snort loudly amongst her tears. Leave it to Vi to get her to laugh again.

"Just breathe, and when yer ready, we can talk." The pinkette presses her thin lips to the sheriff's cheek. "One step atta time, eh?"

Caitlyn nods slowly, sniffing as she thinks through what she wants to say. "I don't even know how to start." She admits, looking up to the black night sky. Snowflakes flutter to the city like lazy falling leaves. It calms her as it brings memories of a Snowdown being spent nuzzling close to fireplace and a small Dakota playing with strands of her hair, until eventually the four year old fell asleep on her shoulder. It was one of her fondest memories of Dakota, and it was a moment of pure luck. Her parents had no idea that she had skipped out on a council dinner that usually her family had hosted, but that year someone else was handed the torch. Sarah had been kind enough to invite Caitlyn to spend time with the children. Elric and Dakota had adored her so much that the two children had flung themselves at her as soon as she entered into their home.

And now Dakota hates her.

How had everything turned upside down?

"Vi," She takes a shaky breath. "Dakota is… Dakota…she's...Dakota is my biological daughter." She swallows the tightness in her throat as she looks to her feet. "I was attacked when I was thirteen by Nicholas Connolly, because my father had shut down the immigration tunnels to Zaun. After the attack he had disappeared, I had no idea that he was even in the city, but I had figured out his Identity when I first joined the police department. He is a serial thief and rapist that had been on the run for over nineteen years from Demacian officials. He immigrated to Piltover from Demacia to start anew, but he was soon on a new spree and no one did anything about it. I was pressured by my parents to forget him and to go on with my life, but tonight Dakota got hurt by my irresponsibility. The day I stepped onto the force, should have been the day I hunted down Nicholas Connolly. Not for myself, but for Dakota." She takes a second to let the information sink. "I'm sorry I never told you this, Vi. I was scared that you would react like my father and hate her because of _him._ I was scared that you would want to go out and find him and find out that he was the brother of the man who helped you out of the gang. I was scared that you wouldn't...love me." She admits in shame, sniffling sadly as she stared at her feet.

Very slowly she raised her icy eyes to Vi, hoping beyond all hope that the pinkette wasn't infuriated with her. That she wouldn't begin a mad screaming match and begin her merciless march to the jailhouse and slaughter Nicholas.

The pinkette's soft violet eyes, held Caitlyn's in a sorrowful look. "Cait." She begins as she stands from her crouch. Very gingerly she picks up the huddled sheriff and seats herself in the driver side seat, placing the sheriff in her lap. "I'll always love you. I'm here for you, we'll figure out this situation and make sure that Dakota has the time to cope with this. I'm guessing she had no idea about this, by the way she ran out of here like a voidling was at her tail." She murmurs lowly, placing her lips on Caitlyn's forehead. "If it's any consolation, I'm glad Dakota exists. She's a bright kid with a good future ahead of her. I'm going to have to have a chat with Tom, though." She growls under her breath.

"No Vi. Let's not make this a messy situation." Caitlyn frowns. "I don't want to get Thomas involved and to get any unnecessary attention being brought to this. We will have Nicholas incarcerated for his crimes and make him pay through two life sentences."

Vi nodded. "Alright, Cupcake. I'll do it the way you want to, however he looks at you or Dakota the wrong way, I'm tearing him apart." She warns. "I'm not letting him hurt you guys anymore, I promise that, Cait." Vi said sternly as she tightened her hold around Caitlyn.

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(Early the next morning) {KSMR-Wildcard ( Tipton)}

Strands of scarlett whips in the wind.

The city before her stands as a true monument to progressing civilization. For the time being, the early morning streets were quiet, save for the few pedestrians of the lower city, their heavy work boots bring sluggish gaits with each step they take toward the iron spike mines. A few of them squint at her as she struts languidly up the hilled sidewalks, wondering why in the void such a pretty thing like her would be in the filth pit of the slums. They turn their attention away quickly after she shoots a jade green glare in their general direction. She pushes her face into the collar of her leather jacket, fighting off the cold winter air that pushed it's way through the cross streets.

That was the thing about Noxians; they were always fighting something.

The corner of her lip twitches up as that thought crosses through her mind.

The pack she carries, slaps against her back with each step. She had travelled a long distance to get here, staying in small inns and ale houses planning her next moves carefully, as her father had taught her. She needed to keep anonymous, in order to keep this meeting secretive.

She needed answers.

It was never like her to be unsure of anything, but there was only one way to eat out this paranoia.

She needed to know if loyalties were still laid with her.

And if not, then pity for the fool who does not side with the victor.

A raven caws above her.

Her dangerous smirk grows. This was the sign she needed to see.

Ravens never stray too far from each other.

***********************************************************/)(\\*******************************************

{Autograf-Slow Burn}

Emerald eyes flutter open as the sensation of being too warm, wakes her from her deep sleep. She smirks at where her head had rested for the night. Her face fell comfortably between the scarred shoulder blades of _her_ soldier. Dakota had rested onto her stomach, her long arms folded underneath her pillow and the pure white comforter brought up to her hips. Illya scratched her nails over the soldier's bared back, letting her fingernails drag over the pale scar tissue that raised like foothills over her beautiful skin.

Scars like these proved your strength in Noxus.

Scars like these showed that you have suffered and overcame with great strength to come out of the situation alive.

And void hell, Dakota was ever so alive last night.

The soldier had admitted being slightly inexperienced, but it did not show with the events that progressed. Dakota had left no patch of skin untouched or unkissed, leaving a burning trail as she went that had drove Illya into a pool of sensational bliss.

Slowly the Noxian rose from her prone form, careful to not stir the soldier beneath her. She grazed the floor with her emerald hues to find her underwear and once located she slipped into them. A failed attempt at trying to locate the rest of her clothing resulted in her reaching for the soldier's buttoned uniform shirt. Surely Dakota wouldn't need it for today,

She pulled her lilac hair from out of the collar, letting it fan out down her back. Her hair was getting too long, maybe she would get it cut soon. She raked her fingers through the thin feather like hair, pulling out a few knots starting to tangle.

With a small huff she deemed herself semi presentable enough to continue the morning.

She leaned into the soldier's space, brushing her bangs away from her closed eyes and pressed her full lips to Dakota's temple. She then turned on her heels, tiptoeing toward the door, a troublesome smirk splayed on her face.

As she exited the room, the clearing of someone's throat caught the Noxian off guard.

"What, in the void hells, were you doing in Master Corporal Sampson's room?" The high Piltovian accent cut to her ears with an irritating lilt as anger resonated through the voice.

Illya rolled her eyes.

This was going to be quite interesting.

She turned herself to face the Sheriff and the Enforcer. A devilish smile pulled the corners of her lips up as she wiggled her eyebrows at the fuming woman and the gawking brute behind her.

"Good morning, Sheriff." She greeted boldly, sashaying her hips as she pushed passed the sheriff toward her room. "I hope you weren't in your office last night. Otherwise I would have to apologize for the noise and distraction we caused." She winked. "Anyways, have a good day. Hopefully, Dakota isn't too sore to chat with you. I know that I had a hard time walking when I first woke up."

Illya missed the reaction of the sheriff as she pushed through her door and placed the oak barricade between the angry woman and herself. Last thing she needed was the estranged mother of her newest investment tearing her apart like an angry wolverine. She could definitely see where Dakota got her temper.

Intriguing.

"Little witch." Caitlyn hissed as she marched toward her office angrily, stomping on the marble floor with strong steps. "Oh shut it, Vi." She snarled at the laughing enforcer who wrapped her arms around her gut.

"I'm, ha, I'm sorry, haha, Cupcake." Vi snorted as she wiped a tear of laughter from her eyes. "Fucking eh, Kiddo. How'd ya land something as sassy as that?" She wondered aloud, causing Caitlyn to fume more.

"I said shut it!" She barked, throwing open the heavy oak door to her office. "We have work to do!"

Vi gave a final giggle, shaking her head. "She's going to give you an aneurysm, Cait."

"Wait until her brother finds out. He'll be much angrier than I am." Caitlyn muttered. "I should have known something like this would have happened. The two of them had been getting particularly close lately." She sat at her desk pulling files out of last night's incident and begin to pen out her signature in a maddened way.

"I'm just wondering what happened to that Flynn, chick. Maybe they had a falling out or something." Vi added as she closed the office door behind her.

As soon as the door shut behind the two officers, Illya peeked out from her room. She pivoted her head back and forth, gazing across the hallway to ensure the coast was clear. She quietly shut the door behind her as she escaped from her room, now fully clothed in denim jeans and a light grey long sleeved shirt given to her by the Company.

She slinked out of the hallway, going up the eight flight of stairs to reach the rooftop. She pushed open the heavy metal door with more force than necessary. Her bare feet crunched into the snow collected onto the city hall rooftop. She placed one of her newly acquired knives into the slit of the door to keep it from locking her out. A cold winter breeze blew her hair back, causing her to squint moodily at the weather.

"Ugh, this city's climate is fucking ridiculous." Illya growled lowly. She closed her emerald eyes and concentrated, focusing on heat and warm summer days. She could really go for heat right about now, maybe hit the tropics and laze in the sun, drinking expensive Bilgewater rum.

She could feel _it_ like flames running in her veins.

Perfect, maybe Viktor's experimentation was actually useful.

She took a deep breath as the green runes protruded from her skin emanating warmth from her body. She rotated her wrists and ankles as the heat rolled through her body, causing a pleased hum to rumble from her throat.

Much better.

A few meters away, the four eyed raven cawed. Illya smirked devilishly to the bird, holding her left arm out to provide a perch for her father's pet. The raven cawed again before she sent herself forward and landed smoothly onto the girl's cotton covered arm. The raven's talons dug into her skin causing black blood to speck the snow covered rooftop.

"And how are you, Beatrice?" She cooed to the bird, pressing her fingers to the raven's soft feathers.

Contently, the raven burrowed her beak into the Noxian's hand. The raven pulled back instantly as a scent hit her nostrils. Beatriced cawed angrily and began to flap her wings, smacking the teen's face for good measure.

"Gah, Beatrice, come on." Illya complained, frowning toward the bird. "I oughta turn you into raven pot pie." She scowled. The raven blinked it's four eyes as if to say 'not funny'.

"I thought it was funny." The teenager smirked. The raven began its temper tantrum again, pecking at her face.

"Alright! Alright! Jeeze Beatrice you're cranky today. Has father not fed you yet?" The teenager gave a smug grin toward the four eyed raven. "Good thing I brought you something, I know when he gets busy he forgets to tend for you." She whispered as she reached into her back pocket and produced a piece of brown paper. "Fermented in a warm room for a day, just the way you like it. I guess I can thank you for the terrible death like smell in my room." Illya chuckled as she produced a few pieces of gray looking meat toward the raven who gobbled them up quickly. "Atta girl, now what got you so riled up before, hmm?" Illya asked raising an eyebrow to Beatrice who clacked her beak a few times in irritation. "Do I smell bad?" She raised the collar to her shirt and rolled her eyes as she caught the scent of mint, firewood and sweat. Of course Beatrice would get antsy at the smell of Dakota. "Don't worry, I'm staying focused. In fact the girl I'm getting close to is a key piece in the plan. Without her trust we will not be able to progress forward. Trust me."

Beatrice cawed again and hopped up Illya's arm to her shoulder. The raven pressed her beak to the girl's ear, tenderly biting at the lobe playfully.

"Yeah, I know you worry. Now pass that message over before you freeze to death." Illya chuckled.

The raven went to her foot, cutting the leather tie that held a yellowed parchment piece. Beatrice popped the message into the girl's palm. "Thanks Bea." She murmured casually stroking the bird's beak. "I'm sorry he turned you into a homing pigeon."

Beatrice pecked at her finger.

"What? I'm being genuine, keep it up and I will seriously go to my earlier threat. You will taste so delicious, mark my words!" She threatened the bird.

She unravelled the parchment, while rolling her emerald eyes heavily to the bird furthering her irritated squawking. "Enough already." Illya commanded, her voice booming with power. The bird curled inwardly in fear at the girl.

Illya took a deep breath, extinguishing the glowing green runes in her skin. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get all leadery on you, Bea." She apologised, running her knuckles on the top of the Raven's head.

"Alright let's take a look at what Daddy dearest sent us, hmm?" The raven hopped excitedly on her shoulder, digging her talons deeply into Illya's shoulder with every bounce.

Ancient Noxian letters were scrawled along the parchment. Only few people knew of the ancient language; her, her father, a professor at the University of Magicks in Noxus City Proper and the once great general Sion. A language most common in an era where Noxus had ruled all of Runeterra, now dead with the strong men and women that were the pillars of what made Noxus strong.

 _Meet with the Mechanist at Dusk at the north Zaun Border. The next phase begins soon._

"Short and sweet as always, father." She grunted sarcastically.

She reached into her pocket again, retrieving a piece of graphite and scrawled along her father's writing.

 _Message received. Preparations underway._

She tied the message to Beatrice's leg.

"Safe flight back." She murmured. "Kraft herrscht, Blut für Noxus." She extended her arm out, giving the raven ample space to allow her to lift off and part to her journey back home.

Illya placed her hands on her hips and sighed heavily. "You know it's rude to eavesdrop on private conversations."

The snort that resonates in reply causes a dangerous smirk to cross her lips.

"I've taught you too well, Swain." Katarina Du Couteau says nonchalantly as she leans up against a wall and inspects the stitching in her leather gloves.

"It's Ritcher now, didn't you hear?" Illya chuckled.

Katarina's mouth twisted in disgust. "Why, in the void, did you take that love drunk fool's last name as a cover name?"

"I had to think quick." Illya shrugged. "You know, always think on your toes and be adaptable."

Katarina scoffed. "You always were the one to kiss ass."

"Hey, I learned from the best." She winked.

"Ugh, I could slit your throat."

"But you won't because you care about me, why in the void hell else would you come all this way to Piltover?" She asked raising a lilac eyebrow.

Katarina pushed herself off the wall and strode over to Illya. She reached forward, clutching the front of Illya's shirt and towered over the girl. "Do not forget your place, Swain." The redhead hissed. Sleep deprivation had cut shadows underneath her jade hues.

Illya chuckled, raising her hands defensively. "I'm still on your side, Kat. Are you okay? It's not like you to be so...unsure?" Her brow furrowed as she eyed the assassin suspiciously. "You got information about your father didn't you? That's why you want to start moving, isn't it?"

"Just keep your side of the bargain." The redhead snapped suddenly, drawing a knife to the girl's jugular. " I'll be on the fields waiting for _him_. His tyranny will end soon, and Noxus can go back to it's true strength. My father's legacy will be recognized."

Illya shook her head incredulously, as she pushed the older woman away. "You came all this way to make sure I haven't betrayed you? What do you take me for?" She snarls, her emerald eyes and runic scars glowing pale green. "It's like you forgot that I know what he is like. It's like you forgot that I witnessed everything that he did to take that throne. Jericho Swain did not bleed or suffer! He is not a true Noxian and should be punished for such treason. So do not question my loyalty, Du Couteau. They reside with the strongest and whomever is capable of keeping that strength as they lead Noxus to victory! Do your job and I'll do mine. " She takes a moment to settle herself, keeping her emerald eyes locked with Katarina's jade hues. "And as far as that goes, that person is you, Kat. I've been by your side as a fellow pupil since the day I could hold a knife. Your father trained me and when he disappeared you took in the responsibility. And for that I am forever grateful."

"Spending time with these Piltovians have made you soft, Swain." Kat scoffs as she strides away from the teenager.

"I could say the same about your time with the Demacian and the Exile, but I've learned to hold my tongue, Du Couteau." She jeers as the redhead flips her hair over her leather clad shoulder, ignoring the girl's comment. She takes a step over the edge of the skyscraper roof and disappears leaving Illya to shake her head and roll her eyes in disbelief.

***********************************************************/)(\\*******************************************

{Stephen- Line It Up}

Her body felt like she went through a robotic compactor. She groaned as she rolled over in her bed, her bare stomach facing the clean white ceiling. Her eyes traced the pattern of the white painted plaster.

"What in Valoran, have I done?" Dakota questions herself angrily as thoughts of the previous night bombards her brain. She rakes her hands through her raven black locks, her eyes wide as she goes over everything.

Illya.

Her name rings through her skull with content hummings, small giggles and regret. It twists in her gut angrily as she pales. Dread courses through her veins as another name bursts into her mind.

Tarryn.

She had utterly betrayed her. She had done the one thing that Dakota despised in it's entirety. She flung the comforter off, not surprised to see the body she spent the night with, had been long gone. Her legs feel wobbly as the guilt strikes her stomach like a two ton truck.

She clapped her hands over her mouth as the retching sensation of vomiting crawls up her throat. She stumbles toward her bathroom, scrabbling up the tiled flooring and hugging the toilet close to her as she heaved the contents of her stomach into the porcelain bowl.

 _What have I done?_ She questions again, shutting her eyes tightly as she rested her throbbing head onto her forearm. Sweat beads at her brow, her breath heavy and panting as her thoughts roll like a glitched hexfilm.

Illya's back arching into her touch, her voice sighing at her ear, Caitlyn sobbing, Caitlyn begging for her to come back, Vi's worried furrowed brow, Tarryn's beautiful smile, Tarryn's nose scrunching up as she laughs, Illya's giggle, Illya's soft lips, Illya's skin, Illya's emerald eyes boring into her soul, full lips turned up in a mischievous smile, Illya's teeth grazing over her pulse points over her neck and shoulders, the dark face of the man who claims to be her father.

Her icy eyes flash open.

She slowly rises to her feet, using the toilet bowl as a support as she staggers to the light switch at the wall, letting her fingers flip the switch, illuminating her shaking pale arms as she grabs the nearby sink, bracing her hands over the edge.

She looks to her reflection with hollow eyes, the shadows deepening as a sleepless night itches at her skin. Her thick raven black hair is in bed riddled disarray. She frowns grumpily toward her double. "What in the void hell was I thinking?" She mumbles, her slim fingers going to the faucets. She cups the water in her hands, splashing the refreshing liquid over her face.

She gasps at the cold, but embraces it letting the liquid wash away her sporadic thoughts.

She needs a clear head to figure out what she needs to do.

She pats her face dry with a soft cotton hand towel. Her eyes wander back to the reflection as her fingers slide into the raven black mop atop her head. Her neck and collarbone are covered in love bites and wicked bruises. She can see the outline of the man's hands, where his thumb pressed into her larynx. Her left palm is scathed, her knuckles are bruised and cut, her forearms clawed and scratched, her abdomen covered in a very large and dark bruise. Her split lip is bitten between her teeth as she closes her eyes to think.

She takes a large shaky breath, letting her mind mull through her options.

She had to at least confront Tarryn. She needed to be honest and let Tarryn know what happened. She needed to solidify where they stood with each other. She needed to know if Tarryn wanted to be with her.

She also needed to steer clear of Illya for the remainder of the day.

"Ugh, how did I mess up so royally?" She growled padding her way shakily out of her bathroom.

First things first, she needed to get clothed.

She pulled her drawers over aggressively, rummaging through her company issued clothing with a dark grimace. Today was a day to show the world that she didn't give a single fuck toward outside opinions.

She stepped into a clean pair of underwear and wrapped a dark blue bra over her chest. She pulled a white v-neck t-shirt over her aching torso, wincing as her ribs pulled in protest to the movement. She reached for the close fitting dark denim pants that she wore under her armour. She tousled her rowdy hair as she stepped into her leather boots. She reached for her's mother's wedding ring, enclosing the gold chain around her neck. She strode out of her room, wrapping her cotton over coat over her body and stalked out of her room with a mission on her step.

"Holy shit."

Her ears pricked toward the sound causing ice to crawl up her spine.

"You look...hot" Illya's voice is uncertain, but Dakota can detect the trouble filled smirk most likely gracing her lips. "How are you feeling this morning, soldier?" She purrs as she steps away from her bedroom door and closer to the girl, placing her hands on her coated shoulders. She let's her finger glide over the lapels as she faces the front of the girl, dragging her nails up to a well placed bite mark on the soldier's neck.

Illya watches as Dakota's icy eyes look to everywhere but her. A faint rosy blush, grows on the soldier's cheeks. She brings a hand up to Dakota's face, cupping her cheek bones and dragging a thumb over her jaw line. With blinking speed, Dakota's hand encloses Illya's wrist tightly, a menacing look making her icy eyes darker.

"Do not touch me." Dakota snarls warningly.

Confusion crosses Illya's face quickly before her expression changes into something nonchalant and uncaring. She crosses her arms over her chest and raises a lilac eyebrow to the soldier, her lips turned up in a devilish smirk. "What's got your panties in a twist? I'm pretty sure they got lost last night, like your cares." She eyes the girl in front of her. "Seriously though, you don't look like...you usually do. This is a great look for you. You should keep your hair down more often." Illya's other hand comes up as she brushes a strand of Dakota's bangs behind the shape of her right ear.

Dakota took a step back, her eyes glued to her feet. "Illya, stop." She whispers. "Just..stop."

"What's up darling?" Illya asks.

"I.." Dakota closes her eyes. "Look, last night, it was a mistake. I should never have...we shouldn't have done what we did. I was emotional and I needed to let my frustrations out and I'm sorry that you got the wrong idea out of that. I don't know why I didn't stop myself. I'm sorry I dragged you into my stupid problems and I would understand if you hate me completely because of that." Dakota sputtered as she laced her fingers together anxiously.

Illya wanted to scream. She had gotten so close to the soldier and she was certain she could begin her stages of planning after last night. She wanted to slap the girl to get her to come to her senses. Hells, she had initiated everything last night, she had wanted it. Something in Illya's chest went tight making it hard to breathe, gods she needed to get a hold of herself.

Illya replied with a small chuckle. "I don't hate you. I get it." She replied automatically, giving a charming smile toward the soldier. "Sex is just sex, _darling._ " She jeers playfully. "It meant nothing anyways."

The soldier's jaw clenches, irritation and hurt clearly rising in her irises. Illya raised an eyebrow. Clearly it meant something to Dakota that the soldier wasn't willing to admit.

Intriguing.

"You're going to talk to that other soldier girl, aren't you?" Illya questions with a cock sure smirk.

Dakota looks at Illya dangerously. "And what if I am?"

Illya's smirk grows. "Stop feeling guilty, Dakota. It'll only make things worse." She chuckles, patting the soldier's shoulder as she starts to walk back to her room. "I'm telling you, I give it a week before she's gallivanting around with a new _toy_." She tisks as she faces the door. "I'll be here if you need another outlet." With that she enters her room, closing the door behind her a little too angrily.

Curse Dakota.

Curse that stupid brunette.

Curse her lungs for feeling heavy. Why in the void is she feeling like she just got her heart ripped from her chest? Why is she feeling like Richter died again?

What in the void hell was wrong with her?

She needed a drink. A strong, disgusting drink.

But first she had something to do.

***********************************************************/)(\\*******************************************

{Eric Stephen Martin- Where is my wild rose (Chris Thompson Cover)}

Bleary steel grey eyes looked at the girl infront of her incredulously.

"You do realize that it's eight in the morning on a saturday, right? Who even let you up here?" She asked through the haze of sleepiness.

The soldier before her gave a sad smile. "I'm sorry." She whispered lowly, trying not to wake the sleeping soldiers that were snug tightly in their bunks. "I needed to talk to you." There was a slight urgency in the whisper, that got her to look at the girl infront of her more carefully.

Bruises lined up and down her neck, her lips split at the very corner side of her mouth. Her usually shocking beautiful eyes were shadowed with dark circles. She looked exhausted, hurt and in an odd sense, scared.

"Are you ok?" She asked quietly, frowning at the girl. "You look like you got caught up in a fight or something?"

"Something like that." The girl replied solemnly.

Tarryn sighed. She stepped back allowing the girl to enter into the cubicle like bunk. She sat on to the corner of her single bed and patted the stool to her desk across from her. "Take a seat."

Dakota nodded. She stepped out of her boots politely, careful to not trail mud and snow into Tarryn's bunk. She undid the buttons at her thick cotton over coat, pushing the material off of her shoulders as she strode over to the stool. Tarryn's eyes bugged out of their sockets as she regarded the very attractive girl standing in her bunk. Dakota's strong shoulders faced Tarryn as she propped her jacket on the back of the stool. Her eyes went to her shoulder length hair that was usually braided or even tied up, but today it was let loose.

Dakota finally sat in place holding her hands in her lap. Her intense eyes went to the blushing girl sitting cross legged in her bed.

"What are we?" Dakota blurted out quietly, still conscious of the snoring soldiers in nearby cubicles.

The question took Tarryn off guard. She had been staring at the bruises along her neck. Were those thumb prints? Were those teeth marks?

"Um…" Tarryn blinked. "That's a good question. What do you want us to be?"

Dakota surprisingly snorted. "I was asking you, stop dancing around the question."

"I don't know." Tarryn replied honestly. "I mean you're a great person. You're extremely beautiful and trustworthy."

She watched as Dakota cringed at 'trustworthy'.

"Why do you ask?"

"Because I slept with someone last night." The soldier admitted quickly staring at her socked feet propped on the railing of the stool.

"You what?" Tarryn asked confused, a tinge of sleep still resonating in her vocal chords.

"Look it's a complicated situation. I was angry, I found out something that completely changes everything. I fucked up." The soldier began. "I wouldn't blame you if you hated me and you wanted me out of your sight. I wanted to come here and...and tell you because regardless of what are relationship status is, you deserve to know. I'm sorry. If you want me to leave I can lea~"

She was cut off by the pad of Tarryn's index finger being pressed into her thin lips.

Dakota's brow furrowed in confusion at the action.

"Look, I don't know what I want right now, Dakota." Tarryn drawled. "I'm still half asleep, but what I do know though, is that anyone would be lucky to have you. When we hang out it feels great to be around you. I feel amazing and light, but I don't know if it's because I want to be your friend or your girlfriend." She murmured. "I mean-" Tarryn stopped herself and sighed heavily. "Look, Dakota, I don't think I'm ready to be in a steady relationship right now. I'm sixteen, I don't know what I want with my life. I want to fully know myself before I even try getting to know someone else. I really like you, do not get me wrong." Her hand cups Dakota's face, keeping a steady gaze with the girl in front of her. "I don't doubt that someday when we're older and I feel like I know myself well enough, we could be something very serious. Right now is just not the time."

She watched Dakota's face fall, her shoulders sinking in disappointment. "I understand." She murmurs softly, her voice cracking slightly. "That's very logical and I'll respect what you want. I just-" She stops to let herself breathe, closing her eyes. "I just needed to know. I didn't want to hurt you, with my stupid decisions."

Tarryn chuckles lightly. "I wish everyone was as respectful and loyal as you, Dakota. I appreciate that." Tarryn reached from the bed wrapping her arms over the girl's elegant neck and pecking her cheek with a soft kiss. She squeezed the soldier with a reassuring embrace pressing her face into her cotton shoulder. "You don't need to feel guilty, Dakota. Honestly, it's ok." She reassures stroking the back of the girl's neck.

Dakota reciprocates the hug, holding the girl tightly.

As Tarryn pulled back to sit on her bed, Dakota raked her hands through her bangs. She stood from the stool, placing the coat onto her shoulders and using her dexterous fingers to administer the brass buttons to close the jacket. "I'll see you around." She mumbles. "Let me know when you want to hang out sometime." She nods toward Tarryn's direction before she steps into her boots and leaves Tarryn's bunk.

She wipes her tear stained cheek with the back of her hand and sniffles as she leaves the barracks.

It hurt, but she understood.

Maybe she should heed Tarryn's reasonings and turn it into advice.

She too, should consider figuring things out before she committed herself to someone.

But the universe had other plans.

( **A/n:** And by universe I mean me! Aha ha ha *Sighs*. I'm So Sorry Dakota)

***********************************************************/)(\\*******************************************

{Tove Lo- Moments}

(That afternoon)

Curvatures grace the parchments as ink cascades in letters. Her thoughts drone in a monotone of budgets, schedules, cold cases to be solved and assignments to be given to the other detectives of the precinct.

Days like these she lowers herself to forget everything except for those four things.

Days like these she clenches her pen with a tight grip and grits her teeth as she aggressively signs off on the paperwork of another perp who broke parole.

It's like they never learn.

Vi knows through years of experience that on these days you let Caitlyn be. Vi will warn their officers and employees that it's best that they don't disturb the sheriff unless absolutely necessary. She usually keeps to her own devices, trying her best to be a minimal distraction until she deemed that the sheriff had enough time to stew in her mood. As soon as she detected the slightest bit of exhaustion from the woman, she would instantly rise from her desk, roam over to the sheriff and bother her with useless pick up lines and hapless distractions, until she pestered the sheriff enough to cause a reaction. Vi would then nuzzle her way through her curtain of raven black and kiss her way to the sheriff's lips, whispering small comforts and embracing the sheriff tightly. This would usually break the woman of her mood and commit to finally going home to enjoy a glass of wine and a hot bath.

However, in this situation, Vi was very unsure what to do.

Dark circles were honed underneath the sheriff's eyes. Her strong jaw is set in agitation, causing her face to form into a focused scowl at the parchments clenched in her hands. Her usually well kept hair was placed in a messy ponytail, strands of the wild hair falling in front of her eyes earning grunts of anger and a hand quickly placing it behind her ears. Her slight shoulders were hunched over her work, as her wrist rotated to scrawl menacingly over a report. Vi could practically feel the anger rolling off the sheriff from across the room like a one hundred and thirty foot tidal wave.

See, Vi was the kind of person that would laugh in the face of a screaming undead hoard who was bloodlusted and ready to rip her from limb to limb. She'd crack a grin at a giant god like spider and claim she was the newspaper that would squash it to death. She would spit on the ground toward void creatures and challenge them to a one on one and easily win in a clean sweep.

But the one thing she feared the most?

Caitlyn's wrath.

So, being vigorous,vitalizing, and at times, very stupid, she rose from her desk, holding a large stack of official parchments, a consequence of busting through a store front wall to take out a very cocky arms dealer with a history of human trafficking.

She looked to the in-coming and out-going office file sorter placed on Caitlyn's desk. She placed the stack into the out-going and waited for Caitlyn's bullshit meter to hit the maximum output.

As if on cue, the woman's head snapped to the pinkette who timed the head turn as she turned on her heels to return to her desk.

"Vi." She snarled through her teeth.

The pinkette froze in place, shoulders raised to protect her head from getting sniped off. By the voids if this plan didn't work she was sure Caitlyn would kill her.

Quickly mustering a charming smile and lazily turning to face the sheriff, mischief lining her irises and scarred eyebrow raised. "S'up, Cupcake?" She drawled pressing her palm into the corner of Caitlyn's mahogany desk, leaning her toned body against the wood. She tilted her chin up in challenge, letting that cocky smirk drip with arrogance.

She watched as Caitlyn's nostrils flared and her icy eyes darkening like winter storm clouds. One of Caitlyn's immaculate eyebrows rose in agitation. Her thin lips hardened into a straight line.

Involuntarily Vi, gulped in fear.

"You know very well, what's up!" Caitlyn growled, her palms slamming onto the top of her desk as she rose from her seat. "I have told you countless times that your paper work goes into in-coming, not out-going!"

Vi shrugged. "You didn't have any room in in-coming so I thought it would be fine in out-going." Vi watched as Caitlyn's eye twitched.

She really hoped this worked.

"That doesn't even make any sens-" Caitlyn stopped mid tirade. She placed her hands on her lips and looked at Vi incredulously. " I know what you're doing, Vi. I am not going to start a screaming match with you!"

Vi decided to play dumb. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Caitlyn rolled her eyes and sighed irritably. "You're ridiculous." She mutters as she seats herself back into the leather chair.

A knock echoed through the office, causing Caitlyn to pinch the bridge of her nose. "This better be important." She snarls lowly. "Come in!" She barks at the oak door.

The door bursts open and Caitlyn holds herself back from ripping the intruder in half.

"Vi, please leave me and my daughter to talk." Peter Deramore growls lowly. Behind him, standing with their backs to the entrance, are two of his body guards.

"She can stay." Caitlyn dismisses, keeping her icy eyes on her father's lake like pools, a challenge hanging in the air between them.

Vi raises her hands in defense as the two Deramores continue their standoff. "I'm going to leave to get lunch. I'm not staying for the shit storm that the two of you are going to start. I'll be back in thirty minutes." She grabs at her new leather jacket, shouldering it and placed a cigarette in between her lips. Within minutes she leaves closing the door behind herself.

Peter does not leave his eyes from his daughter, the tension in the room, keeping him from taking a step closer.

"Why are you here, father?" She asks through a sigh, returning to the paperwork in her hands. "You know I'm very busy." It almost comes out as a snarl.

Peter scoffs.

He strides forward and throws a manila folder onto her desk, carefully placed sheets spilling on to her work station.

She freezes as Nicholas's mug shot spills in front of her.

"Where is he!" He demands angrily.

"Under my custody." She replies calmly, keeping her eyes down as she re organizes the folder she had worked all morning on. A file that somehow, had gotten into her father's hands.

"I'm taking him." He snarls.

Caitlyn's brow furrows. "Under what jurisdiction." Her voice becomes hard and authoritative. It causes her father to take a step back.

"Are you honestly defending him?" He asks incredulously. "I knew you lost your mind. It was that little bitch's fault! She brought you to him, didn't she? Where is that runt?" Paranoia and anger is laced through his words, he slams his hands down, causing books and ink pots to rattle on the desk.

Caitlyn rises from her seat, mustering her power and strength into her shoulders as she squared them to her father. She extends her arm and points to the doorway. "Get out." She says calmly.

"Caitlyn, this man ruined your life!" He bellows.

"I don't care. He is under my custody and will be punished under the court of law as the judge sees fit. He is a Piltovian citizen and no matter his crime, he will be treated as a human being with rights." Caitlyn argued. "I don't care what you want to do with him, I don't care what others want done with him. I keep this city state in balance ensuring justice is served responsibly and honestly. So yes, I am defending him. But do not mistake my job as compassion, father." She warns. "As for my Daughter," She watches as his eyes practically bulge out of his skull. "She has done nothing wrong, and it is time for you to decide to either let go of your hate and learn to understand her, or you can continue being a pompous prick, and be out of my life completely. I have had enough of your blind hate toward her. She got attacked by him last night, because she looked like me. He was ready to put his hands all over her. Trust me I understand where you're coming from father, because it took every ounce of willpower in me to not take his head off." She growled pointing a finger to him. "So pick what your next steps are carefully. I really hope you choose the right one."

He stands stock still. Shock and hurt carving into his face. "Caitlyn." He begins.

"I don't want to hear it." She snaps. "I have a lot of work to do, and you being here is distracting me. So if you wouldn't mind, please leave my office."

Peter nods his head. "I'm sorry. I can't forgive him."

Caitlyn looks to her father icy eyes sincere and strong. "You don't need to forgive him. He hasn't done anything to you to get your forgiveness."

Peter scoffs. "The day they found you, I had never felt more powerless, Caitlyn."

"That's your own battle. This is mine." She states flatly. "I've stopped needing you to fight my battles the day I started on Piltover's streets."

"The day you fought my battle?" He questions sternly. "The day you went after the muggers who harmed me?"

Caitlyn shakes her head. "No, that day was the day I decided that I was to be the protector of every citizen. Even the ones who broke the law."

He shakes his head as he regards his daughter. When did she become this unstoppable force? When did she become this embodiment of strength and will?

"I said that he would pay, Caitlyn." He states gruffly.

"And he will, but through the process that keeps this city in balance. Justice will be served, but you need to let this go. You are the only one who won't and it's opening wounds that have long since healed." She warns. "Get over it."

"I want to see his face." He demands.

"Absolutely not." She stares at her father. "Please, just let it go. Soon no one will have to see his face. With the charges being laid on him, he is most likely to be put in jail to serve almost three lifetimes."

"That's not good enough." Peter growls.

"It's going to have to be." She crosses her arms over her chest. "Get over it. Do not make me repeat it again!"

"Of course, Sheriff." He bows his head in respect.

Caitlyn scoffs crossly at her father. "You don't need to do that."

Peter does not give her a reply. He turns his back on his daughter and leaves her office, with blood on his mind.

That man will suffer. Even if it's the last thing he does.

***********************************************************/)(\\*******************************************

{Deadmau5 ft. Colleen D'Agostino- Seeya}

(Dusk, North Zaun Border)

Winter winds whipped through the forest, causing her to curse at the sharp gust.

She glowered toward the dark clad figure, striding through the thick layer of snow of the clearing before her.

She sighed as her bare hands gripped the bows of the tree she had been perched in and swung herself to land silently at it's base. She rolled to avoid injury from the fall, easily getting up from her crouched form to walk toward the figure.

As the two came face to face, Illya couldn't hide the cocky smirk forming on her full lips. "Viktor." She greets.

"Swain." The mechanist spits.

"My, my everyone is cranky lately." She jests.

The mechanist eyes the girl before him. "You look Piltovian." He states flatly.

Illya's smirk grows wider. "So it's working. Excellent. You know the whole wolf in sheep's clothing thing. Thought it would be viable to immerse myself in their culture." She gestures to the military issued wool insulated black canvas jacket and knee high leather boots. On her shoulder hangs a messenger bag that is attached to the belt loop of her denim trousers. Her sword hangs from a scabbard on her left hip. Her lilac hair is hidden under a black winter hat, keeping her ears warm from the biting cold. "Anyways, why has my father scheduled a meeting for me?" She asks raising an eyebrow.

Viktor's glowing amber eyes are steady as he extends his hand to her. "It's time for your next injection. You had two remaining treatments before you left." He explains. "He also wanted to ensure you were still on track with our mission."

Illya chuckles. "Daddy dearest is having trust issues? Gods, do people have any faith anymore?"

She lets her fingers dismantle the buttons as she pulls the canvas jacket off of her body, revealing herself in a white cotton long sleeved t-shirt. She pulls the material over her head and faces the mechanist with runes glowing brightly from her skin. He inspects the curves and sways of the rune magic under her epidermis. "It's gotten stronger." He deduces, letting a metal trail over the raised scar tissue as it burns her veins. "Have you heard them whisper to you."

Illya scoffs. "Not yet, but I hear it in my dreams." She admits.

Viktor nods. It hadn't been his first time working with this sort of magic. He had done many test subjects, mainly on the foot soldiers that wanted to prove their strength to their grand general. Most had died from the insanity the runes had attacked them with. Others died from the excruciating pain that coursed through them as their bodies changed to better control the magic that lurked within course the runes had made the subjects physically stronger, but their minds were weak and that's what killed them.

Illya continues to prove her strength time and time again.

He grabs at her exposed arm as his third arm reaches behind him to retrieve the syringe. "I was to tell you that we begin the assault in three weeks time. We will meet again to go over strategies and orders." He murmurs as he injects her with the dark sludge.

He can hear the small sharp breath as it courses through her bloodstream. Even though the girl is standing shirtless in the snow, sweat beads at her forehead. Her muscles around her body tighten as her emerald eyes close to concentrate. Her lips pull up into a dangerous grin toward the mechanist.

"It always feels like winning a fight." She murmurs. "I feel powerful enough to take on armies of men, without even breaking a sweat."

"That would be stupid." The mechanist states flatly. "And a waste of a good specimen."

Illya snorts in response. Her eyes roll to the back of her head as the rune magic travels to her brain. Her head feels like it's about to explode but she makes no noise of distress. She just waits for the pain to pass before she opens her glowing eyes to the mechanist.

He quickly takes her vitals, padding his fingers a long her skin and grabbing her face to ensure her reflexes are still functioning. He nods in approval. "How goes the planning in Piltover?"

"Almost complete, I have one more thing to tackle before I am prepared." She replies, pulling the cotton material over her torso.

"So the marks on your chest and abdomen aren't anything important?"" The mechanist asks nonchalantly.

Illya throws her head back laughing toward the heavens above her. "That's just a perk to the job." She winks toward the mechanist. "You jealous?" She jokes.

"Preposterous." He frowns.

"Aww, Vicky," She feigns in mock sadness."I'm sure there is some robot lady out there who has your name all over her heart."

"Do not call me that."He crosses his arms over his chest. "Love is nothing but a human construct emotion. I do not dabble in such pointless things."

"Who said anything about love?" She says in pure disgust. "Ugh, that word puts a foul taste in my mouth."

Viktor eyes the girl carefully. "What of that sergeant? The one whose head you removed?"

Illya freezes and her smirk turns into something sinister and dangerous. "He was nothing to me." She lies easily. "As I said before, he was just a perk to the job." She tried not to think of him. She tried really hard, but the memories flooded her brain as she turned her back on Viktor. "I'll see you again in two weeks time." She mentions over her shoulder, pressing her boots into the snow covered ground.

***********************************************************/)(\\*******************************************

{Krewella-Ammunition}

(2 Years earlier at the Shuriman-Noxian Border)

"Captain Swain!" The young sandy haired soldier blurts out in his half drunken state, saluting the girl as she walks with her higher ranked comrades. They are dressed in expensive battle leathers, their weapons carved from Noxian steel to easily end their foes. They were highly trained assassins that based themselves in the Shuriman Desert. Earlier they had intercepted Brute company and the Sinister Blade as an escort to finally return home after their year long tour.

They were the einhundert company.

Or as the foot soldiers called them, kindred's reinforcements.

His amber eyes soften as he regards her turning her head to him and his boisterous unit.

With clasped hands held behind her back, she whispers something to her comrades and the sinister blade, getting them to continue on their way as she walks to the gangly limbed boy "Sergeant Ritcher." She greets with a wry grin, her emerald eyes holding promises he wish he could unlock.

A goofy smile plasters along his thin lips, the alcohol taking strong effect to his regularly crisp movements. His men behind him hoot and holler in the night sky as they scream out their company battle hymn.

 _MAY OUR DEATHS GIVE US GLORY_

 _MAY THRESH'S LANTERN CAPTURE OUR SOULS FOR ETERNITY_

 _MAY WE SAIL ON BARD'S STARRY SEAS_

 _MAY KINDRED ENDLESSLY HUNT WE_

 _WHO ASK TO GIVE US THE STRENGTH_

 _TO DESTROY OUR ENEMIES_

Illya raises her eyebrow to the soldier before her. "Do you really want kindred upon you?" She smirks.

"If it means I get to spend the night with you." He takes a step closer, dropping his drink from his hands. "I would gladly sacrifice myself for that chance." He whispers as his hands cup her face.

She chuckles lowly. "You only need to ask, Tobias."

He laughs lowly. "Well, now we don't have to worry about your father walking in on us this time."

Illya scoffs as she wraps her arms around his neck, bringing his head down to her level, pressing her lips to his. She reaches on to her tiptoes, dragging her lips to his ear.

"Kat is getting the plan in motion." She whispers. "She's going to talk to us shortly, she just has to report to your officers. There's a Demacian stronghold not too far from here."

He quickly sobers, his goofy mood turning serious. "Blut für Noxus."

"High Command is pleased with Brute company. You did very well on the fields today." She commends, pulling away from his face, and tightening the leather strap holding one of his pauldrons loosely. She inspects the chainmail shirt, looking for specific breaks or weaknesses, over the blood spilled on to him.

"Is that your way of saying you were worried about me?" He asks playfully, placing his gauntleted hands on her leather clad hips. He inspects the worn leather handle on her black rune short sword.

She blushes as she fixes the leather undershirt protruding from his chainmail shirt. "No." She whispers.

He chuckles and the flames from the campfire illuminate his amber eyes. Leather finger tips touch at her pale chin, and he leans in to place a soft kiss on her full lips.

It's then that her ears pick up the sound of someone approaching quickly in the sand. She pushes Tobias away, drawing her sword and lunges to the attacker. Steel connects into the desert night sky as war cries break out around them. Tobias is quick to get to his feet, tackling the Demacian attacker to the ground. Illya leaps over his shoulder as she intercepts another, breaking their defense stance and stabbing the enemy into his gut and twisting the blade out. Tobias stands from the sands, blood splattered on his face as he beat the attacker with his bare hands. His unit tried desperately to hold the offensive attack. Illya rushes forward, calling upon the shadows and bursts into a flock of Noxian ravens.

The ravenous flock takes to the enemy, pecking at their faces with gnarled beaks. She attacks from the flock, breaking away from their feathers with a worthy war cry as she slays the attackers, slitting their necks and then disappearing back into the flock, then reappearing onto another attacker. She is quick and efficient and soon the attack ends.

Bodies of Noxians and Demacians litter the sands around her. Blood and feathers stick to her body.

She turns to give Tobias a cocky smirk. "See easy, all you hav-." She is cut short by the sound of pain that racks her throat as she sees him.

He is crumpled to the sands, blood coming from a slit in his exposed neck. A Demacian body lays next to him, a hand clenching a golden dagger tightly. His cowardly neck is broken in an awkward angle in Tobias's grip. The two had killed each other in desperation.

She ran to his body at full tilt, her boots digging into the sands, as her heart pounded in her ears. It can not be. He must be playing a prank on her. He'll get back up from the ground and give that off kilter goofy smile.

"Don't," She feels strong muscular arms wrapping around her waist. "It'll only make the pain worse." Kat whispers in her ear, dragging the girl away.

"No!" She screams in the night. "Gods no! Tobias get back up!" She holds her emerald eyes shut as she tries to fight her mentor's grip.

"It's over, Swain. Get a fucking hold of yourself, there's more of those Demacian pricks around. It was a scouting party, there will be more where they came from." Katarina explains turning the girl around in her grip. She grabs the girl by the face and slaps her wickedly.

Illya looks to her mentor in shock, holding the stinging cheek. "This is war, Swain. This is why I told you to never fall for soldiers. I told you that it was stupid to get close to him, because shit like this happens all the goddamn time. It happened to me , it happens to everyone. So get your fucking shit together, so that we can survive the next onslaught and you can keep his memory alive." Kat orders."Can you fucking do that, or do I have to put you out of your misery?"

Illya looks to Katarina with wide emerald eyes. "I'm killing every single one of them." She growls, tears fall to her red cheek.

"That's the spirit." Kat mutters under her breath as she drags the fifteen year old by her forearm. "We'll meet them in the dunes. Find any survivors and get your company ready to fight. We'll use the high ground to our advantage. I'll go scout ahead and see what I can find."

"Blut für Noxus." Illya whispers as she longingly looks to the crumpled boy she had loved since she was twelve years old. The boy she sparred with for hours on end. The boy she planned to take an entire empire down with. A boy she planned to spend the rest of her life with. She turns her back to him and holds her face in her hands breathing slowly.

The enemy will suffer and when she sits on the throne. She will end this pointless war and take out the lightshield dynasty once and for all. She will put Runeterra into a fray of Anarchy and force no man to fight for kings or empires, only for themselves and what they stand for. She will lead her people to glory and break them of their shackles to their monarchies.

***********************************************************/)(\\*******************************************

(While Illya is returning from her meeting)

{Jeff Jodrey- In Touch}

She keeps telling herself that this is a stupid idea, but she needed answers. She keeps her mind racing with possible theories and the directions toward her destination.

The cold air sends ice through her veins, as the winds whip in the night sky. Her icy eyes go to the stars and she wonders if this was someone's sick joke, but she shakes her head. In all honesty this situation made sense.

She just hated it.

She huddles herself into the thick material of her cotton overcoat, flipping the lapels up to cover her red freezing ears. Puffs of cloud like air come from her mouth as her breath warms the atmosphere around her. She looks up to the mansion standing in front of her.

Smoke plumes out of the chimney and warm yellow light cascades on the snowy ground. She could only imagine how warm it might be in there compared to out here.

She takes the final steps up the walkway, tentatively reaching out from the large iron knocker. Her slim fingers grasp it, pulling the knocker back and letting it fall to echo into the massive building.

She flattens her jacket , fixing her lapels, and pulls her raven black locks over her right shoulder. The breeze picks up the loose strands, pushing them to to her face. She frowns at the rebellious hair and tucks them behind her ear.

The door opens and she stands at attention, an instinctual reaction when trying to impress people in power.

The butler raises an eyebrow at the girl. "Yes?" He asks flatly.

"Um," She begins. "I was wondering if I could speak with the Doctor."

"And why, in the void, would the great doctor want to speak with someone like you?" The butler tisks. He rolls his eyes. "Be gone before I call the police. You are trespassing you little urchin." He growls between pursed lips.

"Thomas? Who's at the door, darling?" The voice melodically carries to the entrance, causing the butler to regain a taut posture. He steps to the side as the woman approaches the entrance.

"Ah, Dakota. How are you sweetheart? What brings you to Deramore manor?" She asks placing her wine glass onto a nearby stand. She huddles into her wool sweater, and ushers the girl in. "Come in , come in. You'll turn into an ice sculpture if you stand out there for too long."

Dakota eyes the butler then smiles politely to the doctor. She takes the necessary steps to enter into the warm manor. Thomas grabs at the jacket on her shoulders, removing it and placing it on a hook near the door. "Thank you," She mumbles to the man as she steps out of her boots.

Catherine wraps her arms around the girl's neck, pulling her into an embrace. Dakota chuckles as she wraps her long arms around the woman to reciprocate the embrace.

"It's good to see you, love." Catherine pulls back and cups the teenager's face. Her thumb goes over the stunning girl's cheeks. Something pulled at her heart strings as she looked into the girl's icy eyes. "What's wrong?" The Doctor's raven black eyebrows pull down in worry.

Dakota very carefully, cradles the woman's hand at her cheek, into her slim and calloused hands. She enjoyed Catherine. Every time the two would meet the woman had been very affectionate to the young girl, almost reminding Dakota of her mother.

"I'm sorry, Doctor." Dakota apologised. "I've had a pretty rough day, and I don't know who to talk to." She admits.

"Oh do not feel sorry, love. Come, let's go into my study and we'll talk." She took the girl's hand to guide her up the massive dark wooden steps. "Thomas, go fetch us some of the delicious Ionian lemon tea."

Thomas bowed politely to the doctor. "Of course, ma'am. I will be up shortly."

Dakota's eyes traversed the decor of the massive open stairway, just like the parlour, hunting trophies and antique weapons were stored on to the walls, over a beautiful shade of forest green paint. Cathrine led her to a set of massive cherry wood doors. The doctor pushed through, and Dakota stared in awe at the room.

"By the gods," She whispered.

The room was surrounded by book shelves, work tables and schematics. The very high ceilinged room opened up to a very large air zone for miniature zeppelins and flying contraptions to soar around the study area. On one of the work tables was a half constructed patrol bot. It's head swiveled to to the doctor and it produced a very friendly wave.

"Good Evening StAN." Cathrine greeted to the bot. Small beeps came from the bot in response. The doctor turned to Dakota. "I haven't the chance to place a vox into his systems yet. But he has learned to communicate through small beeps."

Dakota nods as her eyes stay locked to the mechanisms.

"You can take a look if you'd like." Cathrine invites.

"I'd love to, thank you." Dakota says in awe.

Cathrine watches as the girl's curiosity takes her to face the bot. Her fingers glide over the polished metal of the chest piece. She cranes her neck to look at the mechanisms turning at the glowing crystal underneath the polished metal. Dakota could feel the day's stress roll away from her body as she focused on the bot. It was as if a refreshing wave cascaded over her body, pushing everything that wasn't hextech to the back of her mind.

Her eyes widen at the neon green crystal, a newly discovered power combiner. It was a new technology that the doctor had discovered a long side the defender of tomorrow and the grand master explorer.

"You found a way to stabilize it?" Dakota asked excitedly. "I read through your latest paper. I'm glad you could figure it out."

"Twenty three explosions later." Cathrine chuckles. "All it needed was a steady current. It's crazy how you could overlook the simplest things."

"Well, with the introduction to rune magic, hextech will change as the way we know it." Dakota chirps as she looks to the wiring. "Is that Targonian silver?"

"It's the only metal strong enough to hold the current." Catherine sighs. "It's very expensive and has been turning the nose of potential investors. We haven't found a cheaper substitute."

"Yeah not a lot of metals have a one hundred and five percent conduction rate." Dakota ponders.

"And that's our predicament." The doctor seats herself into one of her massive wing chairs. "We are thinking of finding a way to use saline water though, but if a water leakage happens it will destroy the hextech inside. But water would be our cheaper solution, highly conductive and could create back power if any issues arrive with the power crystal."

Dakota nods. "That makes sense. You'll have to come up with a tubing system that is solid and ensure that you find a metal that won't corrode. Chromium might be your best bet. I would melt it around steel tubing and place highly tensed plastic tubing inside it. That way you won't electrocute the poor bots. Keeps the bot and the metal safe."

"But how do we keep the water in constant motion to bring the charge to the crystal without, drenching the crystal in highly concentrated saline water?" Cathrine asks with a wide grin.

Dakota bites her lower lip as she thinks. "Do you have paper?"

The night goes on as Dakota and Cathrine discuss possible theories and schematics. They are elbows deep in StAN's chest cavity when Catherine looks to the girl in awe. It's then that she notices the dark bruises at her neck.

"This might pinch a bit, StAN." Dakota says as she clips in metal prongs along the bot's wiring system.

Catherine pulls her thin hands from the bot and brushes her fingers over the dark thumbprint on the girl's larynx.

Dakota's icy eyes shoot to the woman in front of her. It only makes sense that on this winter's night, ice meets.

"I'm sorry we got so enveloped on engineering, that I forgot you wanted to talk."Catherine chuckles lightly, rubbing her hands on a yellow and grease stained rag.

Dakota gives a forced smile. "It's nothing. Honestly, you don't have to worry about it." The teenager mumbles as she continues fumbling with wires.

Catherine's brows furrow. "Love," She whispers, putting a lithe hand on the girl's scarred forearm. "You came all this way, why let something stop you."

"Because I don't want it to exist. I don't want things to change." Dakota admits as she puts her hands to her face. "Look, this was a mistake. I'm sorry, I'll just waste your time." She mutters.

"You aren't wasting my time, sweetheart." Catherine chuckles. "Let's keep working on this and we'll talk. I used to do that with Caitlyn, whenever she had a hard time trying to discuss something important. I'd get her to make challenging puzzles. It helped her focus on the things she wanted to say."

Dakota nodded, her jaw slightly tensing in agitation being compared to Caitlyn. "But I'm not Caitlyn." She whispers, focusing on the metal gears at her fingertips. "I can actually tell people the truth instead of hiding it from them for their entire life."

Catherine looked to the girl in shock. "She told you?"

Dakota looks up to the woman and shakes her head as she gives out a small dark chortle. "Not necessarily." Dakota blows a strand of her bangs out of her face as she hangs her head low to find the stubborn gear, she'd been looking for. "Kinda found out during a standoff between _him_ and _her_ , with a gun pointed to my head."

"Oh, Caitlyn." Catherine sighs, shaking her head incredulously. "So that's how he got arrested."

"Yeah, not the best way to find out that the woman I spent my childhood wishing she was related to me, was actually my biological mother. Real bloody pity." She spits. "I mean she would spend so much time with my family, and I thought it was because she liked us, but I guess it was because she wanted to spend time with me. Did she even like my family? Did she even care when they died? Does she even care about Elric?" She curses as she gets shocked by a bare wire.

A sad smile teases at the corner of the doctor's thin lips. "No, love, she cared and still cares for your family." She adds as she takes the girl's shocked finger and places a globule of aloe vera. "That'll help with the blister that'll appear." She chuckles, rubbing the cream into the burn.

"Thanks," Dakota mumbles.

"She visits their grave sight, when she has tough cases to crack. She told me once, that it helps her think, if she thinks about them, and what she could have done to keep them alive. I use to think that she wished they were her parents instead of us being hers." Catherine says as she takes a wrench to the loose gear that Dakota discovered. " Bloody thing keeps getting loose." She grits through her teeth. "We were always tough on her. We tried to keep her away from you so that she wouldn't interfere too much with your family, but every time she came back with the loving grin on her face, I couldn't bring myself to tell her she was forbidden from you. When she moved out, Peter and I tried to keep ourselves busy, because we were afraid that we would interfere with her learning experience of the real world. So whenever she needed help, stupidly, we would try to let her learn and figure out the problem. Your parents stepped in and helped her through everything. We were very disappointed in our parenting abilities."

"So, why in the void did she keep this from me though?" Dakota scoffs. Her fingers grasp the ends of the conductive wire. She pulls them out of the chest cavity and attaches two other metal clamps.

"She probably didn't want to ruin the image of your parents. She wanted them to be _your_ parents. She didn't want you to see her as a mother, when Sarah raised and loved you. She never wanted you to lose that image, because they were amazing people. Sarah however wanted you to know where you came from. Sarah never wanted you to feel confused or lost." A small giggle rumbles through her throat. "I remember the day when she had called us up when she found you reading the blueprints to her latest architectural project. Even at a young age you were showing early skills to becoming a hextechnologist."

Dakota nods. "That makes sense now that you put it that way. I'm still angry that she kept that from me. I'll eventually get over it, but it still hurts."

Catherine shoots her a smirk. "Even though she didn't raise you, the two of you share an uncanny stubbornness that the two of you both got from Peter."

Dakota raised her head to the doctor a mischievous smile gracing her thin lips. "This isn't stubborn, it's persistent. You haven't seen stubborn, yet." A thought crosses her mind, her lips pulling down into a frown. "So why does Peter hate me so much? I never got the whole story of what even happened. I just know that the man claiming to be my father was very angry that Caitlyn kept me from him. He looked a little too old to be in some teen romance with her."

Sarah sighs and pinches the bridge of her nose. "Dakota," She begins. "People do terrible things, to hurt others. What that man did to Caitlyn, was meant to get back at Peter. The day she went missing…" She takes a moment to breathe. "I thought the next time we saw her, she would be in a body bag. Eli, your father, found her the next day in some alleyway, while he was on his way to work. He said that he could hear her crying and knew it was her. When the police called us and told us what happened, Peter swore he would hunt that man down."

Dakota looked at Catherine with tear filled eyes."So she was...I'm...oh Gods. I'm so sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for Dakota. You are just as innocent as Caitlyn. You have done nothing wrong." Catherine plead. "Please do not be sorry."

"No." Peter's gruff voice comes from the entrance of her study. "You are the reason that I couldn't find him and kill him." He snarled stalking toward the girl. "You ruined her life."

"Peter!" Catherine growled putting herself between the girl and the enraged man.

"How could you, Catherine?" He bellowed, keeping his eyes on the girl, who stood stock still. "You should be rotting in that jail cell with him! You are nothing but a bloody disgrace, you inexcusable runt! You are tearing my family apart!" He seethed.

"Peter that is enough!" Catherine screamed at the shorter man.

"You don't understand what she represents!" He roared.

"She is just an innocent girl. She did nothing wrong!"

As the Deramores argued, Dakota slipped out of the study and out into the cold night.

She kept her breathing even as she tried to control the tears threatening to fall down her cheeks.

***********************************************************/)(\\*******************************************

{Lights- Slow Down (WRLD Remix)}

(The next night)

Piltover was always more beautiful at night. The city was usually a bustle of lights, people relaxing after work and party goers. The weekend called to many like a baying beast. Not many heeded the call, but when they did they turned as wild as the animals surrounding the city's out skirted forests.

And tonight he was going to heed that call. He had one night of freedom left to do as he pleased before he would be brought back to strict curfews and his much stricter sister. He would stand tall, wear his cocky smirk and show Piltover how to really party.

"You know she'll kill you when she finds out you went without her permission." Matais adds, his eyes never leaving the book in his hands.

"Matais, you of all people know that a young man needs to make a mark on the world. He's got run his territory with an iron fist and a good sense of humour. So fuck your stick in the mud attitude, I'm gonna rule my domain tonight." He grins toward the older man who rolls his grass green eyes.

"I hope making your mark on the world doesn't get anyone pregnant." Matais mumbles.

Alex snickers and waves the mage off. "You should come out, maybe you'll find someone cute, blonde and Demacian." He wiggles his eyebrows in the mirror as he muses the short blood red curls on the top of his head. He presses his fingers into the shaved sides of his skull, pushing gel into the follicles to form the perfect tousled hair do.

He shoots himself a cocky smirk, tilting his chin at his mirror reflection. Damn he was feeling good today.

Matais rose a dark eyebrow to the younger man and mumbled something about unrealistic expectations.

"Fine, fuck ya. Dakota will go out with me, she'll be a better wingman than you, ass hat." He growls, grabbing his canvas coat and shouldering the material. He flips his middle finger to Matais as he exits out of the mage's quarters and strides across the hall to Dakota's room.

He takes both of his fists and pounds on the oak door with loud force.

When the door opens, Alex jumps back in fear as the girl's icy eyes are clouded with dark shadows and angry lines.

"Jeeze, ice queen you're looking fairly murderous tonight." Alex jeers as he flattens his front.

"Shove your face into the void, Alex." She snarls.

"You look like shit, what happened to ya?"

Dakota looks at the boy incredulously and shakes her head as she begins to close the door.

"Eh, what the hells, Sampson?" He barks as he places his foot in between the door and the door frame, keeping it open.

"Move your foot before I break it." She warns menacingly.

"Nope, we're going out tonight. I don't fucking know what got you in this gods damn funk, but you're gonna lose yourself tonight. You look like you need it." He pushes against the door and slides into her room. Her desk is illuminated with a small desk lamp shining onto metal pieces and tools. "You were really going to spend this night on hextech? Fucking lame, Dakota."

He turns his body to the girl who is still facing the doorway. Her head hangs low, her dark hair falling like a curtain around her face.

"You ok, Sampson?" He asks with a frown. "You look like you found out your new puppy got run over."

"Just get out, Alex. I'm really not in the mood." She sighs.

"Nononononononah, nada, not gonna happen. Come on let's go get some drinks, brawl and be young. Don't you wanna go listen to the music. You know you wanna go listen to the music. You always want to go listen to the music. It'll make you feel better. Annnnnnnnnd." He drawls out. "There will be so many people out there tonight, maybe we can find you someone to lose yourself into. Fuck, that's what I'm gonna do. I'll pay for everything, this is a win win situation, Sampson. Don't fucking waste it."

"I don't want to do anything like that, right now, Alex. Please just leave me alone." She begs.

"Fuck off, Sampson. Get some gods damned bar clothes on and get cleaned up. Trust me this will make you feel better."

Dakota groaned. "Fine, whatever, Alex have it your way. You're such a persistent fuck."

"Aww, Sampson. That just warms my ginger heart." He smiles. He watches as she angrily forces her drawers open. She goes to the bathroom, leaving Alex alone in her room. He looks curiously at the hextech pieces. He swivels himself around the room looking at the small amount of furniture in her quarters.

A standard single bed, pressed up against a wall, with neatly folded sheets. A small three feet tall book shelf filled with books and texts.

His eyes then lock on to something hanging of the back corner of the pine book shelf. He grabs a pencil from the desk and leans over, pulling the lacy material off of the corner with a wicked grin.

Dakota comes out of the bathroom, sliding her fingers through her hair to comb out any forming knots. She freezes when she sees Alex's shit eating grin, holding up the pair of lacy underwear with the edge of her pencil eraser.

"Whose are these?" He asks with mischief lining his mud brown irises.

Dakota blushes deeply." They're m-m-mine." She blurts out, crossing the room to snatch the lacy material away from Alex.

"Don't fucking lie to me, don't wear shit like this. Illya does though." Alex says watching as the girl pales."I am your best friend, and you didn't tell me that you got laid by Illya Ritcher. Is that why you're so moody?" He says in mock hurt. He slaps his knee as he begins to laugh. "Oh my fucking gods. This is rich. I knew it. Wait until your brother finds out. He's going to fucking kill her." He wheezes.

"Fuck off, Alex. It's only a one time thing. I fucking broke it off yesterday." She growled.

"What? Why?" He asked stunned. "Illya is a perfect girl. The two of you have such fucking chemistry. Stop being a pussy, Sampson."

"I broke it off, because of Tarryn." Dakota admitted.

"You did what?!" He screamed. "Sampson, you have done some stupid shit in your life, like that time you tried to tame that eagle. But this? Fuck, Sampson! Tarryn, is not worth a relationship. She's so flighty and can't keep her heads out of the clouds. I get it the two of you grew up together. But she doesn't even know what she wants!" Alex explained. "But Illya. Jeeze, that girl knocks people down with her good looks, and if you're not going to do anything about I'm fucking jumping on that."

"You wouldn't." Dakota glared to the red head.

"Then woman up. She fucking likes your ugly mug, count yourself lucky, Sampson." He teases. "C'mon let's go out so that I can teach you the ways."

"Oh, please great, sensei, show me the way." Dakota sarcastically said in monotone.

"Onward to adventure, Sampson. I plan to get fucking hammered tonight, so let's do it in style!" He croons as he leaps from her desk stool and out the door.

Dakota sighs as she slowly turns and follows behind the boy. She felt like tonight was going to be a mistake.

***********************************************************/)(\\*******************************************

{Linkin Park- Bleed It Out}

Blood sprays along the gate. The crowd roars as they surround the ring, drinks and gold in hand. The fight bar or better known to the locals as _The Pits_ was a grimy pub with cheap drinks, legal brawls and good and loud music. The bar splits itself in half from the booths and tables, the dance floor and stage, and the thrall and screams of fighters and fans.

Alex's lips fall into his automatic cheeky grin as the two soldiers push through the crowds and straight to the counter. Alex hangs his arms over the girl's neck and orders the beverages. Giving the bartender a charming wink and slapping coins and their IDs on to the counter. The beautiful bartender inspects the Identification cards and double checks Dakota's. With a nod, she slides their drinks over. Alex passes a bottle to Dakota and taps the lip of his drink with hers in a small cheers.

He chuckles as he watches her looking through the room.

"So," He calls over the crowds. "What was it like?"

"What, was what like?" Dakota asked taking a large gulp of the ale. Her eyes fixate on the fighters in the ring and something pulls at her chest. Something primal and aggressive.

"Illya. What was she like?" He chuckles wiggling his eyebrows to the girl.

Dakota shoots him an icy glare. "I don't kiss and tell, Preston. I know you do, but I don't."

"Honourable." He quips.

"Being honourable, is making me lonely." She yells over the crowd's roar of blood lust.

"Then stop." He simply states with shrugged shoulders and a lazy smirk.

Dakota scoffs. Her eyes weave through the bodies dancing to the beat. She swears she sees a familiar mop of lilac hair. She's sure she hears her giggling.

"You can't stop something you naturally are." She murmurs.

"Like how I am a massive shit disturber?" Alex chuckles.

"Exactly." She replies. Her eyes snap as emerald flashes to her eyes. She stands stunned as Illya meanders through the crowd, unbeknownst to being stared at. Dakota watches as the Noxian girl goes up to a lanky young man, a soldier most likely relaxing after a hard day of drills. Her shoulder length hair is let loose, swaying as she moves her hypnotic hips. Her pale arms wraps around the young man's neck.

"Fuck being Honourable." Dakota growls, as she places the finished drink on to the counter. She pats Alex's chest and pushes through the crowd. She taps the lilac haired girl's shoulder, interrupting her dance, and as the Noxian turns, Dakota cups her face and kisses her roughly.

A fist slams into her right cheek and she sails into the hard wood of the pub floor.

"Don't fucking touch her." The soldier boy snarls protectively, hovering over the lilac haired girl.

Dakota blearily looks to the girl she kissed, her eyes widening as she realises, that she was not Illya. She stands to her feet, putting her hands up. "Look, man. I mistook her for someone. I'm so sorry."

"Fuck off, you fifty first shit stain. You fuckers take all the god damn glory, you know what I'm sick of you ass hats taking things from me!" The soldier bellows.

"It was a mistake!" Dakota snarls. She looks to the girl giving an apologetic smile. "Sorry about that."

The girl blushes and Dakota practically feels a cocky smirk slide through her thin lips. Alex was starting to wear off on her. A fist sails in her direction, and Dakota has the right mind to duck.

"You want to fight?" She screams at the lanky boy. "Fine, let's fucking fight!" She growls. "I've been needing to get some frustration out you twat." She grabs the lapels of his loose uniform shirt, reeling her fist back, before a very large hand claps on to her shoulder.

"Easy little lady." A security guard grumbles in a heavy accent. "The only fighting here is in the ring. If the two of you wanna go toe to toe, you can do it now. The ring just got cleared up, so either make your way there or fuck off."

Dakota glares to the lanky boy who spits at her feet. "I don't think you're strong enough."

"You want to make a bet?" She asked with a raised eyebrow and dark grin.

The security guard sighs heavily as he grabs the boy by the collar and drags the two teenagers to the ring. The crowd roars around them.

Gold exchanges hands, laughter breaks out in spats, but the blood lust going through the crowd is what she mostly notices.

Blood will spill.

In the back of her mind, she wonders if it's fair. She wonders if this soldier knows what he's gotten himself into and she has half the mind to warn him, but she chuckles. Let the idiot learn, that if he wants to pick fights then he should learn to pick them better.

Alex runs through the crowd holding bottles in his wide hands. He stops to smile at a few girls in the crowd before he continues forward to Dakota.

"I saw all of that." He chuckles, passing the ale to Dakota who takes it gratefully. "If it amounts to anything, I thought she was Illya too."

Dakota snorts. "What do you think his odds are?"

"Well considering how pissed, hormonal and angsty you look, I'm gonna give him a twenty five percent chance to win. He may have the reach on ya, but you're like a fucking wolverine when you're angry. Just don't kill him, lover girl." He looks to the boy who locks his predatory eyes onto Dakota's back. "Hey ain't that Griael! That fucker tried to get me last time I was out. Has a fucking obsession with the fifty first. He's been trying to get in since the day he got enrolled. Dumb prick. Show him what fifty first material is, Sampson." He slaps her cheek playfully. "Get some!" He bellows.

Dakota chuckles and turns to the boy, raising her fists to her face. Griael, spits on to the ring floor, sporting a malicious snarl.

"You made a mistake, fifty first!"

"I keep telling you that, but you seem to not be able to let anything go!" She calls.

The bell rings and the lanky soldier charges Dakota, who laughs maniacally.

She feels her anger fuel her as she side steps the boy and swings her elbow straight into his nose. He falls on to his back and she is on top of him. Her fists pound into his face with the beat of the music going on in the background. Blood sprays her face and soon she is pulled off.

It ends that quickly.

She rises to her feet and meets the three angry faces of Griael's friends. One of them takes the time to pull their unconscious friend out of the ring.

She laughs as they face her like a pack of wild dogs.

"You want some of this?" She screams in challenge. "I'm fucking riled boys." She spits.

The crowd around her roars, as the fight begins. Dakota fluidly moves as she defends herself from their blocky movements.

Alex screams in the crowd as he watches his comrade kick ass. Beside him a short mop of blond hair bounces to get a better view. Alex looks to the grand master explorer with a wicked grin.

"Hey shortie, try to get to the front, you'll get a better view." He drinks the rest of the contents to his ale and laughs as Dakota clotheslines an attacker.

"I'd rather not watch my friend's daughter get pummeled to bits." The blond young man replies shaking his head.

"You knew Dakota's parents?" Alex asks. "You look a little too young to be able to know them."

The blonde pinched the bridge of his nose, as the girl took a wicked hit to her face. He could hear her cursing out their mothers as she attacked viciously. The crowd gave another thunderous roar, as blood and spittle flew to the air, like a painter working on their masterpiece.

"I know her mother, yes. She's going to kill her." Ezreal sighed. "You better get her out of there before she really gets herself hurt."

"Kill her?" Alex questioned. "Her mother's been dead since she was seven." His eyes then flicked to a brunette waitress passing drinks around the crowd. His jaw dropped as he followed the way her hips sashayed as she held the drink tray above her head. "By the gods." He whispered.

"Caitlyn Deramore is very much alive. I'm pretty sure Piltover would burn down if she died." Ezreal scoffs. He only came here to meet with a potential client. He would gets his hands on that tomb map, even if it was the last thing he did.

Alex keeps a steady gaze on the waitress, completely ignoring the blond young man wincing as the girl in the ring was passed a shot of some type of alcohol. She cleared the shot before she turned on the remaining soldier easily moving around his attacks and kicking at the back of his knees. A fist sailed her way and she pin wheeled as she tried to keep upright.

Alex waved his hand capturing the attention of the waitress who sashayed toward the redhead.

"Hey, love." He drawls, giving her a very charming and cheeky smile. "I'll take a tall craggy ice and a hot brunette." He purred in her ear.

The waitress giggled. "There's a few of those around."

"I'm staring at the one I want the most though." He winks. "When does your shift end? I want to take you for a drink."

"Ten minutes." She replies.

"Well I must be the luckiest man on Valoran. Would you do me the honour of spending the night with me?" He drawls, taking her hand and placing a very soft kiss on to her thin hand.

"A gentleman." She chuckles. "Alright, I'll bite. Meet me around back, and we'll go to something a bit more classier hmm?"

"Sweetheart I'll go anywhere as long as it makes you happy."

Alex clapped Ezreal's shoulder. "Hey pip squeak. If Dakota comes out of that in one piece, tell her I'm getting lucky. Tell her to fuck honour and get into Illya's pants before she has an aneurysm."

Ezreal looked to the red head incredulously. "You can't just leave her here."

Alex looked to the girl in the ring, she had someone wrapped in a headlock. "Nah she's fine. Just make sure she knows where home is. The crowd keeps feeding her drinks, what a fucking mooch." He chuckles. "Anyways, good luck. I'm off to make my dreams come true with this catch."

Before, Ezreal could reply the red headed boy took off.

"Damn Deramore's and their pride." He grumbles as he watches the girl through pained expressions as she fights off the soldiers with a wicked grin.

"Come at me you ugly cunts!" She screeches toward her opponents.

Around her the crowd roars as they all attack at once.

***********************************************************/)(\\*******************************************

{Eden-Drowning}

(Midnight)

She had been sitting peacefully in the living room curled up under a large quilt. Her sore feet rested on the old leather foot rest. Vis is peacefully asleep on her lap, her eyes closed and nose nuzzled into Caitlyn's stomach. It was fast approaching midnight, soon she would wake up Vi and the two of them would stumble into their bed and sleep the night away.

Caitlyn had a very long day. Caitlyn needed to release some steam, so she took to the streets relieving an officer from his patrol route to take it upon herself. She had caught four perps within the first two hours, all of them small misdemeanours, but it still made her feel better. Eventually Vi had joined her and the two took to the lower city arresting a few others for gang related crimes from a case that Caitlyn had cracked the day before.

So when they returned home, Vi ordered Ionian take out food, while Caitlyn took a well deserved shower and got into a comfortable pair of pyjamas with a very large book in hand.

A solid knock interrupted her thought process of the day's events. She opened up her pocketwatch, looking at the time.

"Who in the void?" She frowned at the clock face that read the exact minute to midnight.

She slipped from Vi's sleeping form and padded along in her poro slippers. She peeked at the eye hole, and instantly opened her front door.

Ezreal gave a sheepish smile as he held Dakota up. Her arm hung over his neck for support. She looked up from the floor and squinted at Caitlyn, then turned at Ezreal with a frown.

"I fucking hate you." She growled. "You-you fucking told me t-that-that you wouldn't take me here!" She drunkenly yelled. She swayed slightly as she tried to pull away from Ezreal. "You're a fucking traitorous twat.I don't get why Tarryn idolized you, you piece of void shit." She barks angrily to the blonde.

Caitlyn scrunched her nose at the scent of strong alcohol and sweat that wafted off of Dakota. Her face had been badly bloodied, her knuckles were skinned and raw, bruises littered her body.

"She was at the pitts." Ezreal explained sourly. "I didn't know what to do with her." He admits. "Her redheaded friend bailed when a very promiscuous waitress got a hold of him."

"Yes, Alex is- is a fucking traitor like you. I don't want to be here in front of _her._ " She hisses at Ezreal aggressively.

"Shut up, you're lucky I even brought you here. You'd be in big trouble if I just left you at the hospital. Might as well get the scolding done while you're getting patched up." He argued.

Caitlyn pinched the bridge of her nose. "Oh Dakota. Take her to the kitchen, Ezreal." She sighed, stepping to the side to allow Ezreal to move into the apartment.

Dakota fought against Ezreal's attempt to bring her into the apartment. "No! Fucking leave me at the hospital, I'd rather get court marshalled then face _her_!" She yelled in her slurred drunken state.

Caitlyn grabbed Dakota's arm, trying not to gag at the scent of alcohol, vomit and blood.

"I fucked up, man." Dakota drawled over to Ezreal as she slumped in defeat. "She was perfect, you know. Amazing and I fucked it up so hard."

"She's been saying that over and over again." Ezreal grunted over to Caitlyn who rose an eyebrow at the young man.

"And then this bitch, f-fucking lied to me, my entire life, is-is a god d-da-a goddamn lie." Dakota moped as she swiveled her head toward Caitlyn and squinted at her with a snarl on her split lip.

Caitlyn sighed, rolling her icy eyes as she dragged Dakota to the kitchen. "I know, love. We'll get you looked after and you can yell at me all night if you'd like."

"You really mean that?" Dakota's voice almost sounded hopeful.

"Yes, darling. All night." Caitlyn mumbled, as her and Ezreal sat her onto one the island bar stools.

"Don't call me, darling." Dakota sobbed in a sudden fit of tears. "She fucking called me, darling and I fucking hated it, but I want to hear her say it. No one loves ALex bailed on me."

Caitlyn rubbed soothing circles into the middle of her back.

She then turned her attention to Ezreal. "Thank you. I'm sorry she caused you trouble. She's had a rough couple of days." She admitted sadly, watching as Dakota sulked into her forearm.

"Don't worry about it. I just hope she's ok." Ezreal frowned as the girl broke into another fit of sobs. "I can stick around if you want."

"Don't worry about it. Her and I need to have a few words anyways." Caitlyn sighed. "We kind of left off on a sour note the other night. I'll have to wake Vi up, though. She's good with her." She walked Ezreal to her door opening the pine revealing the hallway to the rest of the building.

"Alright, well hopefully she doesn't feel it too hard in the morning. She drank a lot. She did a hell of a job in the ring though, made the crowd wild, until she got thrown out." Ezreal shook his head. "Well, good luck, Cait. Have a good night."

"You too, Ezreal. I can't thank you enough for bringing her here. I'm sorry she ruined your night." Caitlyn apologised.

"Don't worry about it, just get her feeling better." Ezreal then waved before he turned on his heels and departed.

Caitlyn closed the door behind her, listening to the small sniffling sounds of Dakota and sighed as she strode to Vi.

The pinkette groaned in her sleep, swatting at Caitlyn's attempts to wake her up. "I need you, love." The sheriff begged. "Please, I need you to wake up."

Vi opened up one of her eyes to look at Caitlyn.

Her fiancee's face was pulled in worry.

"It's Dakota."

Vi rose from her position quickly. "What happened?" She asked reaching for her jacket that she threw over the back of the couch. Caitlyn placed her hand over Vi's knuckles as she grabbed the leather material.

"Ezreal, just brought her home. She's drunk and has been fighting all night." She pointed toward the kitchen. "She's crying on the counter and I need you to distract her while I get her cleaned up."

"I can do that, cupcake." Vi leaned forward and kissed her forehead. She broke away and strode over to the kitchen.

She stopped as she looked at the mess of the girl, with her head on the marble counter. "By the void, kiddo."

The girl's head slowly rose to Vi's voice. Her eye had garnered a very dark and swollen eyelid, her lip and chin were lined with blood. "Vi." The girl keened out in the middle of a sob. "I fucked up." She hiccoughed.

Vi went around the counter and knelt in front of the girl. "Jeeze kid, you smell terrible, where'd you go to drink?"

"I-I didn't want t-want to drink." The girl admitted. "I just wanted to fight. Alex was being an asshole. I just-I can't stop thinking and I fucked up, and Illya's mad at me, I think, I don't know. I think we broke up, but we weren't even a thing, but we had-" Dakota stopped herself. "Vi, I fucked up bad. I gotta-I gotta find her, and tell her I messed up."

Vi rose her scarred eyebrow. "You aren't going anywhere."

Dakota frowned deeply, her icy eyes welling with tears as she stared at the pinkette. "But," She began to blubber. "No wonder Tarryn doesn't want to go out with me and why Illya didn't think it meant anything. Because I'm fucking weak, Vi."

"No you aren't kiddo, that's the alcohol talking." The pinkette began, she watched as Caitlyn came into the kitchen. She stood next to the girl with a hot face cloth and began to wipe at the girl's face. Dakota grabbed at Caitlyn's wrist roughly. "E asy, kid." Vi warned.

Dakota looked up to her biological mother. "I'm still fucking mad at you." She snarled. Her icy eyes then closed after her staring match, she clasped her mouth shut. Vi opened up a nearby cabinet revealing a massive pot and threw it to the teen's feet. The girl heaved the contents of her stomach with a massive retch. Her bloodied hands gripped the edge of the counter and the back of the chair with extreme force. Caitlyn gathered the girl's hair from her face and gave small encouraging pats to her back.

Vi grabbed the face cloth that Caitlyn had and folded it, placing it along the back of her neck. "Breathe through your nose, Dakota." Vi soothed as she massaged the sides of her neck. "It'll help with the pukey feeling." Dakota nodded before she dry heaved a few more times. "Let, Cait clean you up."

Dakota frowned at Vi, her icy eyes looking more like a kicked puppy than a trained elite soldier. "But, she- she hurt me." She drawled.

"I know, but she's going to help you feel better." Vi said, tilting the girl's face up to get a better look at her face. "You're lucky you didn't break your nose. You didn't keep your hands up did you?"

"I'm sorry, Vi." The girl began to blubber.

"You can't be sorry to me, kid. You have to be sorry to your face. Jeeze, you need to keep your damn hands up next time." Vi advised as she playfully brushed her knuckles over the girl's left cheek. "So what happened that got you to head over to a fight bar?"

Dakota's frown deepened. "Well yesterday I woke up. And felt like a shit stain 'cause I thought I cheated on Tarryn. So I went to talk to Tarryn and she-and she told-she told me that she wasn't 'ready for a relationship yet'." She swayed in her seat, her eyes tried to focus on Vi as tears went to the edge of her eyes. "And before that I saw Illya before I saw Tarryn and Illya told me it didn't mean anything, but it did to me Vi. It fucking did. I let her get to me. She was- she helped me stop feeling angry. And I've been crushing on her so fucking hard. But I like Tarryn. And fuck. Vi I'm so confused. I mean Tarryn, she doesn't make sense. Two fucking years, she held this god damn grudge, because her sister kissed me and when we start getting to know each other, she's just, like, 'nope, sorry Dakota, not ready for this confusing shit'. And you know I don't fucking blame her. But every damn time I close my eyes, I fucking see her. I hear her. Illya won't get the fuck out of my brain." Dakota screams. "And even though I told her t-that it was a mistake, I don't even believe myself. I fucking loved it! Never felt anything like it! But because I'm me, I fucked it up, like so fucking hard. I just fuck everything up." Dakota looked to Caitlyn as the sheriff cleaned out the blood on her eyebrow. "I fucked up your life, for even existing. Your father thinks I'm the bane of his existence and you know I don't fucking blame him. And I had no idea why, and last night it just made sense when I was at your mansion talking with them. I'm the fucking product of a rape. Why don't you hate me? I'd hate me. Fuck, I'd want me dead. You probably see his face everytime you look at me, you probably hear his voice every time I talk. How do you not want me to leave your eyesight?"

Caitlyn grabbed at Dakota's jaw forcing the girl to look at her. "Listen to me right, now Dakota Sarah Sampson. I will never, ever in my entire life, hate you. The day I was allowed to meet you was the best day of my life. You never ruined my life, I don't care who says what. I will never regret bringing you on to this earth, do you hear me?"

Dakota looked to Caitlyn with sad icy eyes. "But why?" Dakota asked, tears tracing down her cheeks."I don't deserve to be loved."

"Because whether you or my father likes it or not, you are my daughter and I love you like any mother should. And I will fight to the ends of this universe to make you happy. Sure I didn't raise you Dakota, but you are my blood, and I will do anything for you." Caitlyn admitted as she wiped a tear from the girl's cheek.

Vi put a hand on the girl's shoulder, giving her a wry grin. Dakota looked to the two women with blurred eyes. "I'm sorry." She sobbed. "I'm sorry I got mad at you." She reached for Caitlyn and pulled the sheriff into an embrace. "I was just so angry, that everyone held this from me. I didn't know how to-how to react."

Caitlyn held her tightly she tried not to gag at the girl's scent."It's ok, love." She whispered. She pulled back from the girl, putting a strand of her bangs behind her ear. "Come on let's get you in the shower and into bed. We'll talk in the morning, okay?"

Dakota nodded. She took a step off the stool and began to trudge beside Vi and Caitlyn as they helped her into the shower. Soon, they had her washed and in a pair of Vi's sweat pants and a t-shirt. Slowly they led the very runk girl to the spare bedroom, tucking her into the white comforter. Vi retrieved a glass of water, placing it on the bedside table and two pain pills. She emptied out Dakota's puke pot and placed it at her bedside. It didn't take long for the girl to lose herself to sleep.

Caitlyn sighed as she closed the door. Vi rubbed at her tense shoulders and kissed the back of her neck. "It's ok, cupcake. She's just trying to process things. It seems like she's trying to figure some things out. Let her sleep it off, and then have a good ol' conversation with her."

"I just want her to trust me again." Caitlyn admitted as she walked to the master bedroom.

"And she will." Vi said in complete confidence as she pulled the comforter off of the bed and pulled the sheriff onto the mattress. "Just give her some time. It will all be ok, Cait." She whispered.

"I hope so Vi. I really hope so."


	18. Chapter 18: Hopes and Shots

**_A/N- Hey bbs. So it's been a while and I miss your faces. I do work as a security as well as being a stage hand. So with music festivals being rampant in my city right now I have been hella busy. I hope this chapter makes up for it. I also want to thank each and everyone of you for taking the time in reading this and for being with me every step of the way. I have met some very amazing people due to this fic and my life has changed because of it. I want to thank my ever beautiful and lovely cohort shipper Gray hoodiee for being bae and WG Karibu for being the best Beta Reader (who really helps me see the logical side) and the most chill ADC known to man kind!_**

 ** _Enjoy Loves._**

 ** _.com_**

{Cyndi Lauper- Girls Just Want to Have Fun}

(That Night)

Metallic fingers glide over old and weathered parchments. He ponders his notes, tapping his

third hand along his iron casted chin.

 _Tak tak tak_

Maybe if he changed the dilution of the substance to something more aggressive it would cause the desired effect.

 _Tickticktick tacka ticka tick_

Cold amber eyes regard the figure tapping her skinny fingers along the wooden stool she is perched on. She bites at her bottom lip, her knee bouncing with anticipation as her combat boot pounds against the cold cement floor.

"If you would be as so kind as to halt that incessant distraction." Viktor breathes, rubbing his long fingers along his temples.

"Let's do something!" The girl bursts out, pushing herself off of the stool and hopping on her toes.

"I'm finalizing the schematics." Viktor replied evenly. "Just be patient."

The figure threw her head back and groaned. "But I'm sooooooooooooooooooo bored." She whined. "I can't be patient if all I do is sit on this bench watching you make really really really cool things! Can we play tag? I think I have enough chompers lying about. It makes the game more interesting!" She beams.

"No, sit down and wait like I told you." Viktor scolded, keeping his back to the maniac. She huffed at her blue bangs falling in front of her pink eyes. She stomped angrily toward the stool, plopping her small frame on the pine material. She crossed her small arms over her chest, pouting at the mechanist with a scowl. "You're a party pooper, metal man. I thought this would be fun."

"As I said. Be patient." Viktor sighed. "You will get to your amusement and I'm fairly sure you will be very pleased with what I have designed. But you must prove your patience first before I let you anywhere near it."

Jinx inhaled sharply through her nose. "Ugh. Finnnnnnnnne. I'll be a good lil psycho."

"It's well worth the wait." Viktor chuckled, gliding past the bluette. His leather trench coat fluttered with his steps. "AuG!" He called, pressing the parchment to the grimy wall.

Metal steps echoed from the hallway, clapping excitedly forward. "Yes fathe- I mean, Creator?" The robotic boy asked approaching the mechanist.

Viktor's hand rested on top of the boy's head. "Go retrieve the Loose Cannon's weapons. We have much to work on, AuG."

"Of course, Creator. I will be back momentarily."

"And don't go blowing your head off, Young man!" Jinx cackled, pressing her hands to her stomach. "Your father shouldn't be letting such a cute lil' boy play with dangerous things. You'll end up like me!" She wheezed.

Viktor sighed. "This better be worth my while, Swain." He muttered under his breath.

***********************************************************/)(\\*******************************************

{twenty one pilots- Can't help falling in love (cover)}

(The Next Morning)

 **A/N:** _This cover gives me goosebumps and so does Abbie and Elric. Totally not gonna lie, I could see Elric singing this to Abbie.*I will give someone a personalised fic of their choice if someone draws this*_

"Is it bad that I already miss it?" Abbie sighed pressing her face into Elric's left shoulder. Their fingers twine together as the train car rattled. Elric's thumb draws soothing patterns along the back of her hand.

 _Last stop, Piltover Grand Central Station._

"No." Elric replied with a small laugh. "I miss the quiet nights and the sound of the waves crashing on the shore." He pressed his lips to her freckled forehead.

"It was a bloody paradise." Abbie groaned rolling her head to press her face into the glass. "It was warm, there was no snow. It smelled like home." She sighed. "It felt like home." Her breath fogged up the window. The dark sky threatened sleet and freezing rain. Inwardly, she shivered. Gods above, below and sideways, Piltover had proven to be harsh during the winter. Abbie hoped that Spring was something much more kind.

Elric chuckled. He wrapped his arms around Abbie, pulling her from her chair and into his lap. Their foreheads connected, their noses bumped. Abbie hummed happily, her chocolate brown eyes fluttering closed as the contact banished her thoughts of cold winter nights. He smelled like the mint and salt soap she had bought for him at the local village market. The faintest scent of sea breeze and honey tickled at her nose and it warmed her heart.

This was Elric. This was her partner.

Her fingers pressed into the blond stubble at his cheek.

For the entire trip the two of them had delved into infinite possibilities and bright futures. They had extensive conversations of what they considered to be a happy life. Much to Abbie's content, Elric wanted to raise a family and live a quiet life. He wanted to take up a trade so that Dakota and himself could work on projects together. He was eager to learn carpentry and felt it would be a good fit.

"After Dakota and I finish getting the Manor back in shape, we'll live off of our retirement money that the government will syphon to us and we'll buy that cabin." Elric promised. "And when little Elric and little Abbie get on our last nerves, Aunt Dakota and Uncle Alex will take care of them as we go back to our paradise and relax for a week."

"That sounds absolutely amazing." Abbie chuckled. "However, I could see that turning sour quickly. I wouldn't trust the two of them together with our kids, El."

"Mmm, you're right. They could easily start a civil war." Elric snorted. "Maybe Caitlyn and Vi would be nice enough to take care of them, hmm?"

Abbie rolled her eyes. She wrapped her long tawny arms around his neck and pressed her face against his cheek, scrunching her nose at the contact of her face and the prickly hair along his jaw. Playfully, he rubbed his face against hers, dragging the stubble over her freckled skin.

"Elric." Abbie complained as she swatted his chest.

His sapphire eyes twinkled with mischief. A low rumble of a laugh came from his chest and bubbled through his throat. "I love you, Abigail Preston." He pressed his lips to the tip of her nose.

Abbie shook her head trying to hide the smile growing through her lips. A blush took over her cheeks and travelled down her neck. "Yeah, I know." She whispered. " And I love you too, Elric Sampson. Even though your feet smell terrible."

"Hey, it's not my fault I sweat through my feet." Elric chortled.

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{The Pretty Reckless- Heaven Knows}

Fingers clench the sides of the metal pot with so much force, that it threatens to crack in half. She heaves heavily, her abdominals clenching angrily as the contents of her stomach spill to the metal bottom. With a grunt she falls to her back and groans lowly as she relishes in the cold that the hardwood floor provides for her bare back. Her borrowed t-shirt had been strewn across the floor of the room. She wiped her thin lips with the back of her hand and tried to keep the dizzying feeling at bay. Her head felt as if cannons were going off inside her cranium.

She doesn't know how she ended up on the floor of the Sheriff's spare bedroom, but whatever happened there was sure to be a very interesting story. She was just thankful she wasn't thrown in some ditch in the middle of the lower city.

"Hey kiddo, how's the head?" Vi asked, pushing the door open to find the teenager sprawled out beside the large cooking pot.

"I feel like death." She admits through a groan. "Everything is bright and I just want to crawl in a hole and die."

"You know what the best hangover cure is?" The pinkette asks with a mischievous smile.

"Idunnowhat?" The teenager mumbles throwing her right arm over her eyes, to block out the morning sunlight coming through the lace curtains.

"Not getting plastered." Vi chuckles as she walks over to the girl.

"Har har, you're so funny." Dakota pouts.

"Damn right I am. Now get yer lazy ass off the floor, we gotta get yer brother." Vi extended her calloused hands to the girl.

"No, just leave me here to die." Dakota grumbles, swatting the pinkette's hands away. "I want a quiet death, he's just gonna scold me to the point that I rapidly age. I'd rather puke my organs out."

"Nope." Vi chuckles. "C'mon kid, if you want to be hootin' with the owls, you better be ready to scream with the eagles." She grabbed at the teen's elbows, pulling the girl up from her sprawled form and onto her shaky feet.

"Fu-huck." Dakota burped, feeling bile rise to her throat. With a wince she swallowed the disgusting rise of her stomach contents down. "I'm going to skin, Alex." She growled through gritted teeth.

"Mmm. I don't bloody blame ya kid. You look like shit."

"Thanks for the ego boost, Vi." The girl snickered darkly, pushing her raven black bangs out of her tired icy eyes.

"Your right eye is swollen all to hell." Vi tisked, inspecting the area with a gentle yet prodding thumb. "What did I say about your hands being up, kiddo?"

"Yeah, yeah. You gave me the spiel last night. You made me cry because I don't like disappointing you." Dakota admitted, pinching the bridge of her nose as she tried to keep herself from falling over. "I honestly feel like I went up against the fighting bots and got ripped apart for scrap metal." Her accent was thick this morning to Vi's amusement. "What the hell are you laughing at?" The teen asked grumpily.

"Nothing," Vi's iconic sideways grin was plastered on her mischevious lips. "Ya just sound like a proper Piltie."

Dakota scowled at the pinkette as she reached at her feet for the royal blue shirt. She stumbled slightly but caught her balance with a well placed groan and a few misplaced curses. She pulled the material over her battered and bruised body. Inwardly, she apologised to herself. She made a small mental note to stop throwing herself into fights while her body was still recovering from the last escapade.

"So kid, what the hell are you gonna do next?" Vi asked, following the teen as she slowly padded out of the guest bedroom. Her slim hands grab at the waist of her black denim trousers, pulling them over her hip bones.

"What do you mean?" Dakota asked suspiciously.

"Illya." Vi dead panned. "And your brother."

Dakota froze mid step. "I-uh." her heart thudded in her ears, her lungs tried to expand to gather more oxygen. The panic began to creep up her shins, its long fingers wrapped around her throat closing off her breath, as it crawled up her body. She closed her eyes, trying to dislodge the memory of bright lights exploding into her sight. She began to count as she extended her slim shaking fingers to the wall beside her.

One hold, two hold, three hold, four hold, five hold. Breathe.

She coached herself through the attack, just as Elric had when she was much younger.

Five hold, four hold, three hold, two hold, one hold. Breathe.

What felt like endless hours, took only seconds for her to regain her composure.

"I don't know." She replied. "I'll have to have a serious conversation with-uh, with Illya." She continued forward, her bare feet feeling weighted down to the hardwood of the penthouse apartment. "As for Elric," her eyes darted toward the kitchen as she exited the small hallway. Her icy hues locked on to Caitlyn, who stared back to the teen with the faintest of smiles. "I will explain what I think he needs to know. This kind of information could break him."

Caitlyn nodded her head in understanding as she watched the teen saunter over to her place at the counter. "Of course, that will be kept between the two of you. We will not interfere with that."

Dakota pulled back a stool and wobbly sat herself into the comfortable seating.

"Yer gonna be ok, kid." Vi comforted, placing her hands on the girl's shoulders and squeezing them in reassurance. "Yer bloody tough as nails, though. I have to hand it to ya. But for the love of the gods, keep your bloody hands up next time." The pinkette playfully cuffed the back of Dakota's head. "I taught you better than that, you door knob."

"From what I remember I gave whoever challenged me a good run for their money." Dakota gave a very devilish grin, a slight cackle hidden behind her words, hiding amongst her groggy vocal chords.

"You were gambling?" Caitlyn asked dryly, fury lining her irises.

Dakota paled slightly. "Well-heh. No. I wasn't betting." Dakota looked to the hands that she had clasped together.

"You should have been more careful last night, Dakota." Caitlyn stated sternly. "Gods could only know what could have happened. You were very lucky that Ezreal recognised you."

"Where is this coming from?" Dakota asked, her face falling into a tight jawed scowl. "I've been through much more dangerous situations in missions, where my life was literally on thin ice. I don't need you worrying about me. I'm not yours to worry about."

"Mmm." Caitlyn hummed in irritation. She turned on her heel and placed a plate before the girl. Freshly cooked crispy bacon, fried eggs and warm creamy hashed potatoes, layered the plate garnished with two slices of grilled tomato. "Take your time, If you wolf it down, your stomach will get upset." Caitlyn muttered, facing the girl with steely reserve. Unexpectedly, her hand reached across the counter and cupped the right side of her biological daughter's cheek. Her brow creased in worry as Dakota jumped slightly at the contact, her icy eyes widening slightly. "You'll need to put some ice on that." Caitlyn frowned.

"Whoa, don't change the subject." Dakota objected leaning away from the sheriff's hand. "You really don't have to do that. I can handle myself and I don't need you to be breathing over my shoulder. You didn't do that when I was in Demacia, so don't do it now."

"Dakota," Caitlyn began."Whether you like it or not, you are someone I need to worry about. I can't have you gallivanting around, putting yourself in dangerous situations."

"Oh so a man attacking me because I looked like you, was utterly my fault, because I keep putting myself in dangerous situations. Pretty sure that was on you _Sheriff._ You could have warned me or told me about him. " Dakota spat. "You could have told me that there was a dangerous man out there who would react and hurt me. But you decided to keep that all to yourself."

"That's not how that worked, Dakota." Caitlyn frowned. "Yes, I had messed up. I should've been up front and honest with you. But you need to understand something. I have always done what I could to keep you safe and to give you a future." The sheriff's voice cracked. "I knew your parents would have done a much better job at raising you to be this astounding and responsible young woman. They loved you and they claimed you as their own. The best I can do for them right now is keep you alive and healthy. So I will worry about, not because I am your biological mother and I love every ounce of your being, but because your mother and father would never forgive me if anything ever happened to you."

Ice locked and harsh breaths broke out into the atmosphere of the kitchen.

Vi's violet eyes swiveled between Caitlyn and Dakota. Silence overtook the area as they stared at each other. The pinkette swallowed nervously. It was like a standoff in an old western town. Two worthy opponents sizing each other up. Vi was sure Dakota would be the first to crack, as Caitlyn had an iron will. A small noise of surprise passed through her thin lips.

The sheriff sighed heavily and unclenched the kitchen counter, her knuckles turning red as the blood coursed through her constricted veins. "Look I don't want to argue with you. That is not my intention. I understand that I hurt you, but I am here no matter what." She turned to her refrigerator, rummaging through it's icy contents.

Dakota, lost in thought, hissed out in surprise as Caitlyn placed a searing cold bag over her swollen right eye. As the surprise faded a small pleased groan rumbled through her body.

Cold was nice.

Cold was _very_ nice.

"Try to eat." Caitlyn encouraged as she patted the girl's shoulder. "You have time before we have to get your brother."

Dakota nodded, keeping a strong hold on the bag of ice. She trained her vision on the delicious smelling food wafting through her sore nose. Her stomach growled audibly like a ravenous beast. Gods, no matter what Caitlyn could ever do, Dakota would always admit that the woman was a genius in the kitchen. She chewed through her food thoughtfully, her mind trying to explode forward with thoughts. But Dakota placed a stranglehold around them, keeping them secure from overwhelming her. As she wrestled her conscious self, flashes of Illya crossed her mind, causing her spine to stiffen.

Beautiful emerald eyes hazed over in mirth. A slim lilac eyebrow raised in challenge along with a corner of her full lips pulling up in amusement. In her mind, Illya stood with her arms crossed over her chest. _So what are you going to do, darling?_

 _You won't need me to prove that I'm an idiot, you already know that._ Dakota thought to the Illya in her mind. _I suppose it's time to be honest, hmm?_

She sighed heavily.

"I was wondering," Caitlyn began, drawing Dakota away from her dangerous thoughts. "Would you be interested in accompanying me to a rifle range this afternoon?" The sheriff sounded very hopeful.

Rifle ranges were a foreign concept to the soldier. Of course she had been trained in many different styles of fighting and weapons, but the Demacians had strayed from hextech rifles. The sheriff's offer intrigued her curiosity.

"I don't have any training." Dakota confessed, remnants of her anger fading away with her voice. "In fact, I have very little experience with firearms. I know how they work and how they function, but as far as shooting one… I'm at a loss. I wouldn't be much help to you."

"That's perfectly alright." Caitlyn beamed behind her purple mug of tea she had made. "If you were up for it, I would be pleased to show you."

Dakota nodded. "I'm always up to further my skills."

"Excellent." The sheriff clapped her hands together.

Dakota smirked. She wasn't sure if 'excellent' was the right word. But if that's how the sheriff felt, who was she to tell her how she was supposed to feel.

***********************************************************/)(\\*******************************************

(Later that morning)

{Caravan Palace-Wonderland}

Long fingers brush through short red curly hair. A devilsome grin is attached to his lips as he strides out from the sector of lower Piltover. A take away paper cup is in his hand with the darkest coffee anyone had ever seen. His standardized canvas jacket has the lapels pulled up to his red and freckled ears, staving off the cold crosswinds of the street. As he ascends the city hills, his mud brown eyes take in the scenery of the Piltovian markets.

He pushes through the crowds, watching as electro carriages and hexmobiles pass by before crossing the busy sections. A small group of young women in pea coats and long fur dresses are gathered together eyeing the young man and giggling to each other. Without hesitation, he winks to the girls bearing a very charming smirk.

"Morning ladies," He calls. He catches the attention of a vendor grabbing a small bouquet of valley lilies and paying the vendor in weighty gold. He approaches the tittering girls, bowing to them with the utmost respect. He extends a hand to the girl in the center. She is a young woman with dark skin and blazing amber eyes. Her dark brown hair falls in ringlets to her shoulders. Her cheeks darken with a blush as his hand encloses hers. He bends his head, pressing his lips to her knuckles and presents the bouquet to her. Gratefully she takes it, blinking in confusion and then flattery. Her lips crack into a white gleaming smile, curtseying to the young man.

He chuckles. "The most beautiful flowers for a beautiful smile. Fair trade, hmm?" He winks again and turns on his heels, leaving the girls to surround their friend with envy lining their throats.

Yes, he was feeling quite good. Teagan, the brunette waitress, had proven a good night for the soldier. So much so that he had acquired another rendezvous the following week. With a pip in his step and a good cup of coffee in hand he made his way to city hall, passing by drilling soldiers. Founder's barracks was an impressive monument but not as large as its neighboring tower of city hall. He entered into the glass covered skyscraper, taking passenger in an elevator with official political men in suits and tophats. He nodded his head in greeting toward the statesmen, raising his coffee cup in salute. He earned a few raised eyebrows and quirked polite smiles. In reply a cheeky grin cracked through his thin lips.

"Lookin' sharp, gents." He calls after them as the elevator halts to their office level. He chuckles and turns his attention to a woman dressed in a pressed suit and skirt. She seems to be in her early twenties, her blonde hair tied up in a professional bun. Her nearly violet-blue eyes are hidden behind helvetica glasses balancing on the bridge of her button like nose. Her arms are folded around a clipboard, a pen balances behind her ears. In her left hand she holds a box of doughnuts.

"You're the secretary for the police headquarters." He states, earning a sigh and a nod of confirmation. "I got a pretty good joke to lighten your mood. " The woman scoffs, rolling her eyes and shaking her head in annoyance. Alex chuckles lowly stepping a bit closer to her side and craning his neck to invade her personal space. "How do police officers greet each other?" He waits a moment, the answer right on the tip of his tongue. "Policed to meet you."

It takes a second. He can see the way her spine stiffens through the tweed jacket she wears. She burst out into a small chuckle, unable to contain the humour. He grins widely, rocking back on his heels in a satisfied gesture.

"One of my favorites." He admits, watching as she slightly turns her hips to him. Now he's got her attention. "You have a lovely laugh by the way. You should do it more often. It kinda sounds like beautiful bells."

The secretary cocks her head to the side in curiosity. She takes a strand of loose hair, twirling it in long thin fingers. Her teeth catch at her lower lip, as her eyes rove over the young man raising a pleased blonde eyebrow as she finishes her inspection.

"Sadly," She begins, her high Piltovian accent cutting into the silence of the elevator. "I don't date boy soldiers." She purrs.

The elevator gives a small ding as they land to their floor. She regards him for a final time, giving a very curt laugh before her heels begin to click along the marble of the headquarter floors. His jaw falls open as he watches her hips sway.

"Mother of sea and father of land, thank you for gracing me with such a pretty arse." He mumbles to himself as he leaves the elevator. He pushes through the Piltover Police Department, narrowly avoiding a few investigators rushing around with reports in hand and arrest warrants to be filed. He throws the now empty cup of coffee into a nearby waste bin, strutting through the chaos and into the office areas. He takes a few faltering steps as his face pales.

Elric and Dakota are in the middle of a screaming match. Illya has her head peeked through the crack of her door, a small pleased grin painted across her face. Abbie has her arms crossed over her chest, her chocolate orbs angrily locked on Dakota's defiant facial features.

"Are you fucking kidding me, Elric?" Dakota screeches. "You- my gods, let me live. You constantly hover over me! Yes, Illya and I got together, but that is none of your bloody business!" She snarls, pressing her finger into his chest.

"You're sixteen years old, Dakota!" Elric retorts. "You're covered in bruises! I can't leave you for two weeks without you getting hurt and making stupid decisions. You're too young to even know yourself yet, you shouldn't even be trying to get with someone. I thought you knew better than that!"

His shame hits her like a ten ton brick and Alex can see weight instantly hit her shoulders. He sighs and the noise captures the attention of Abbie.

He can feel her death like glare enter inside his chest and frighten his soul away from him for a moment. "Ah, you're back. Good to see ya again sis." He chuckles approaching Dakota and clapping her shoulder. A gesture to mean _Don't worry I got this._ "So how was the Demacian seaside. I hear it gets quite beautiful this time of year."

"Shut up, Alex." Elric growls lowly. "Stay out of this." It's a warning he is not willing to heed.

"Oh come now, El." He starts, playfully nudging his hip into a very annoyed Dakota. "Kids these days. They get so frustrated so easily and I mean, we know Dakota is responsible. She knows what she's doing, let her _do_ who she pleases. I mean she's lucky. She landed _her."_ His thumb juts out behind him, pointing to Illya who sneered in the crack of the door.

Elric's face fell into something red and angry, making Alex take a step back. Dakota pinched the bridge of her nose, sighing heavily at the young man with complete disdain. "I swear to the gods." She muttered under her breath.

Abbie angrily approached her brother, yanking on to his ear and dragging him out of the hallway and into his room.

"Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow." Alex called out as he was dragged away from the continuing argument between the Sampson siblings. He watched Illya shake her head, chuckling to herself as she closed the door behind her.

"You're very lucky, he didn't outright hit you. He's trying to discipline her, Alex. You shouldn't be getting in between that." Abbie growled releasing her tight grip on his ear lobe.

"He shouldn't be trying to get into the thick of her sex life." Alex replied, rubbing at his ear and frowning at his fuming sister. "You don't see me trying to get in between you and Elric. I know you guys do the deed, but I don't give two shits. I know he won't hurt you. I _trust_ you to be able to make that decision for yourself."

"She's young, Alex. She doesn't know any better."

"Oh fuck off, Abbie. She's more responsible than most girls her age. I mean it's not like you are questioning every girl I get to roll around in the hay with, either."

Abbie rolled her eyes. "You don't get it, Alex. He's just trying to protect her. He got really scared when he saw those bruises. He is willing to tear Piltover apart for his sister, just like I would for you. He only wants the best and if Illya is the one taking her to fight bars and getting her into her pants, that's a direct violation of his security code."

"Illya didn't take Dakota to the pitts." Alex scoffed. "That was all me."

"You did what?" Alex watched as his sister turned into a fiery fury.

"Absolutely nothing." He grinned sheepishly. "You know I'm an idiot right?"

***********************************************************/)(\\*******************************************

{Florence + The Machine- Kiss With A Fist}

 **A/N-** _Gonna get a bit NSFW fam._

She's curious.

Dakota hadn't made an appearance since her outburst with Elric. She had been in her usual stew of anger, nothing too irregular for the soldier and her mood swings.

Which meant Dakota could be in one of two places. She could be at the workbenches of Piltover customs or the most likely choice; the training room at the top floor.

She ascends the tower's metal stairs, her bare feet padded along the cold steps.

At first it was quiet. She hears nothing in the room as she opened the door with the faintest of noise.

Dakota in all her glory stands with her back to the door and is stock still in the middle of the training grounds, surrounded by the running track. She is clad in a royal blue sports bra and her black training shorts, revealing her strong legs. Her shoulders rise and fall with ragged breath, sweat drips from her bare shoulders, over the pale scar tissue of her lower back. Her wrists twitch reflectively with the beat of the music pouring in her ears. Her knuckles tightly grasp the hilt of her twin axes, the edges looking sharper than anything Illya had ever seen. However, Illya's eyes ascend to the nape of the girl's pale swan like neck. Her raven black hair is tied up in a high ponytail, tendrils of her locks brushing by the beautiful skin.

Illya's lips buzz. She had kissed that skin.

She had caressed that skin.

Gods, she had worshipped that skin.

She bites at her lower lip as she watches the soldier's back muscles twitch in anticipation.

Dakota was a furious winter storm breaching the horizon of a dark sea. Powerful, ominous and strong.

But what takes a storm off it's path?

Illya's breath hitched as Dakota struck the air with a swipe of an axe. She had heard from Alex, that the soldier was something to watch when she practiced with her favorite weapons. Illya had seen her doing target practice, but this was something incredibly different. It reminded her of the drills the Du Couteau family had put her through.

With each strike came fluid movement as Dakota bobbed and weaved, hooking imaginary enemies and slamming her axes into the blue mats. She spun the weapons in her hands and with a roar she threw them to the wall hitting a motivational poster. She rolled toward the wall, using the momentum to rise to her feet and sprint up the side of the wall, dislodging the axes and attacking another imaginary enemy.

It's then that her eyes catch Illya watching her, causing her to misjudge her landing and lose her balance. She dropped the axes and tumbled forward flailing onto the blue mats.

"Didn't mean to startle you, darling." Illya quipped, hiding her twitching full lips from the grumbling girl.

Dakota pulled the earbuds from her ears as she hopped to her feet. "Why are you here?" It's blunt and tired. As she looks to Illya, the Noxian could see a new bruise over her right eye and a scratch over the eyebrow and her thin lips. The bruises along her neck and torso had started to turn to a yellowish colour.

"Everytime I see you, you get new bruises." Illya chuckles as she steps closer, taking a gliding pace and coming face to face with the soldier. She reached out cupping Dakota's right cheek brushing her thumb over the bruised skin. Electric like feelings tingled along the path her thumb brushed. "Looks like that was a good time."

The girl standing in front of her takes a steadying breath, her warm palm enclosing Illya's pale hand, removing the skin contact. "Still doesn't answer my question."

"I don't know. Alex told me you were at a fight bar the other night. He said you got in a fight because of me. I mean you and Elric also had that fight so I wanted to see if you were ok." Illya added giving a devilish smirk as the girl rolled her eyes. Dakota sauntered over to a small bench. She yanked at a towel pulling it free from her training bag and dabbed her sweaty skin with the soft cotton.

"And?" Dakota questioned, keeping her icy eyes focused on her bare feet.

"Just being thoughtful for once. Come on I thought you'd want to hear something like that from me." Illya playfully brushed her fingers through her hair, looking up through her eyelashes toward the flustered soldier . "Need a partner?"

Dakota snorted, trying to hide the blush growing on her face. "I -"

"Shut up and sparr, darling." She cut off as she rolled her shoulders in her forest green long sleeved shirt.

"I'm not sparring with you Illya. I just want to do my drills and go to-"

"Is it because we had sex?" Illya asked through a knowing smile.

"N-no." Dakota stuttered shaking her head. "No. I just want to work on my axe movements." She said more clearly, squaring her shoulders to the Noxian, who stood with her hands on her hips.

"It didn't mean anything, Dakota." Illya chuckled. "You don't have to avoid me and go on having temper tantrums about it. Unless you wanted it to mean something." She teases.

She watched as the girl before her swallowed. "I- I, look I just want to do some mindless shit for a second and get my head out of the clusterfuck that is my mind right now, Illya." Dakota frowned. "And you're making it difficult."

Illya rolled her eyes. "I can't keep myself out of your head, Dakota." She winked. "That's all on you. Get your feelings sorted out before you blow up from thinking too much."

"You're not in my head, Illya!" Dakota snapped, her cheeks and shoulders turning red.

"See, you're trying to take the first steps. Denial is a hard one to get over." The Noxian teased.

"You're an asshole."

"What else am I, Dakota? Regale me in what I am to you." Illya watched as the soldier's lips went into a straight line. The girl pointed her finger to Illya, her body shaking in fury.

"You are cocky, arrogant and a disrespectful bitch, without any god damned boundaries." Dakota sputtered.

Illya tapped her chin in thought. "All of which are true." A cheshire grin spread through her full lips. Something in her emerald eyes danced with mischievous energy as a finger walked up the tone muscle of Dakota's shoulders and collarbone. " And you're stubborn, indecisive and far too easy to read." Illya chuckled lowly. "You're also a terrible liar, darling. I know that what we did was something you wanted. You needed to lose yourself, and I get it. But if you want something out of this, stop being a coward about it. Stop holding yourself back and show me, prove to me that you want to make something of this." She extended her arm to the soldier. Dakota's lips were set in a hardline and all Illya wanted to do was mold them into a gasping sigh.

Gods, was she getting in too deep?

 _No_ , she said sternly to herself. She knew where to draw the line. She knew how to cut emotions off and focus at the job at hand. _Get her trust, get what you need from her then sever all ties._

"Tell me," She whispers, wrapping her arms around the soldier's neck. Her lips teasingly ghosted over Dakota's mouth. "Do you have feelings for me, darling?"

The girl swallowed as she felt Illya press into her front. Instinctively, her hands enclosed the Noxian's hips. Her head tilted expectantly, their noses brushing against each other and foreheads pressed close.

With a dangerous smirk, Illya pulled away, disentangling herself from Dakota and winked. She hooked her finger in the band of Dakota's training shorts. She pulled her forward, taking backing steps as she directed them to the center of the mats.

"Not going to answer me?" Illya chuckled.

Dakota scoffed. "I thought you said I was easy to read."

Illya raised a lilac eyebrow to that statement. She placed her knuckles on her hips opening her mouth to retort to the girl.

Unexpectedly, Dakota launched a strike aimed for her left cheek. The Noxian leaned back, dodging the punch. "I thought you said you didn't want to sparr."

The two girls circled each other. Emerald and ice lock together in a dance of witt and challenge.

"I'm proving myself." The soldier replied.

Illya moves forward, side stepping Dakota's defensive strike. She places her palm into the blue mats, kicking her body up and hooking her ankle to the back of the soldier's knees. She scissors her legs, pushing her shin into Dakota's chest and making her fall backward. She rolls forward on top of the girl and straddles her hips.

In retaliation, Dakota jabs Illya strongly, causing the Noxian to snap her head back. Blood trickles down from her nose. The tip of her finger, taps at the bead of blood. She inspects her blood covered digit with wide emerald eyes. They swivel to the soldier's face.

Her small hands reach behind Dakota's neck, her palms cupping the pale nape of her neck. She pulls on the soldier and clashes their lips together in a heated exchange. Dakota can taste the blood lining the Noxian's mouth as her tongue traces Illya's upper lip. A low groan pulls from the girl's throat as teeth clamp at her lower lip in response.

Dakota raises herself on her elbows, her palms placed along Illya's sides. The lilac haired girl's shirt raises to expose the flat muscle of her stomach as her forearms rest along the soldier's clavicle. Her fingers work at the tie holding the soldier's hair together, letting it loose to fall over her shoulders. Her nails dig into Dakota's scalp, as the soldier's lips trail down to the junction of her shoulders and neck. Illya's breath hitches as the younger girl nips at the pale skin. She tugs on the raven black locks, pulling the girl away with a low growl, quickly pressing her lips hungrily to Dakota's mouth.

With haste, the soldier pulls the green long sleeved shirt from Illya's torso. She switches their positions hovering her body over the Noxian with heat in her icy hues. Her mouth reclaims her spot at the base of the girl's neck as her finger roams over the flat muscle of her abdomen.

Illya's hands claw at the muscle of her strong shoulders as the soldier sucks at the skin. Her hand grasps the front of Dakota's sports bra, her palm cupping her breast. She moans audibly as the soldier's hand creeps beneath the waistband of her denim pants.

Across the room the door opens revealing Vi and Abbie talking amicably about Ionian fighting styles.

"Nah, the scariest thing I've ever seen coming from that weird ass Island is this bug style of fighting, Focuses on yer pressure points!" She mimics a stance, her hands flat as a board as she strikes the air. "Man, I'm glad yer back, Red. I've been itching to get a few good fights in lately." Vi chuckled brushing her knuckles along Abbie's shoulder playfully. She looks to the redhead with a wide grin. She cocks her head perplexed at the captain's facial expression. Her jaw is dropped low and her eyes wide in complete shock, staring ahead of her. Her hand reaches out capturing Vi's jaw after a few failed attempts, bringing the pinkette's gaze to the two girls on the mats.

A moment of shock hits Vi as Illya sighs in pleasure. A grin spreads through her lips and she wiggles her eyebrows to Abbie. She crosses her arms over her chest, tilting her chin in a cocky expression. Vi whistles loudly to catch the attention of the two girls. She watches as the muscles in Dakota's back go taut, her head snapping up from the place at Illya's throat.

"So." The pinkette calls out, her smirk winding it's way through her voice. "What do we have here, kids? I thought this was training room not a bedroom."

Dakota stands up quickly, pulling apart from the girl underneath her. She turns on her heels instantly, her face, shoulders and chest red in embarrassment. Her icy eyes wide as her and Abbie lock gazes for a second. "I-..."

"Nope." Vi cuts off. "We didn't see anything, right Red?"

Abbie raises her eyebrows to the pinkette. She sighs heavily rolling her eyes and placing her hands on her hips. "You're very lucky your brother didn't feel like sparring today. He would have killed the two of you." She warns. "I'll keep my mouth shut, but if I catch the two of you again, I'm telling Elric."

Dakota gulps. "Thank you." She mumbles crossing the room to her training bag and hoisting the strap over her shoulder. She briskly walked passed the two brawlers her hand covering over her face in embarrassment as she left the room.

Illya rose from her position, pulling her shirt over her torso and buttoning the top of her trousers.

"Well it's been fun, girls." She chuckled. "I'm going to go make sure she doesn't jump off the building in pure shame."

Vi snorted. "Mhm, that's exactly what you're doing."

Illya rose a lilac eyebrow to Vi, a devilish smirk gracing her full lips. She shrugged to the pinkette. "Hey, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do." She winked, exiting after Dakota.

"Kids these days." Vi chortled as she shook her head.

"I'm going to go get some bleach to clean off the mats." Abbie muttered. "Ugh, I won't be able to get that image out of my head for the rest of my life. I won't even be able to look at Elric, without seeing his sister like- ugh god forget the mats I need the bleach for my mind." She shivered.

"Poor kid nearly died of embarrassment right then and there." The pinkette teased. "I'm not gonna let her live that down, you know that right?"

"Good. Avenge my eyesight, because I did not want to see that."

***********************************************************/)(\\*******************************************

{Luke Howard- Shift}

(moments later)

Ionia was a distant ghost in his mind, yet there would be the days that his memories would fold over into a hazy loved filled memory. Those memories were usually bombarded with his mother's smiles and his father's low contagious laugh. He remembered seas so vast with ocean life and deep creatures brought up by old seaweed infused nets. His home village bordered the coasts of the Ionian mainland and Galrin Island. It was infamous for it's incredible variety of fish that were transported for capital city markets.

If he closed his eyes while meditating he could still feel his uncle's dory swaying from side to side as they checked their were times that he could smell the salt air and the fish noodles his mother would make when he would return to shore after his week long voyage with his father and uncle.

Everything was red.

The flames, the sky, the blood, his hands.

He watched his mother attempt to fight off the raiders, until a large axe had buried itself into her back. Her assailant, a tall broad shouldered man with ruby red eyes and a blood covered sneer that shook his young form to his very core. His screams had ordered the raiders in a harsh tongue that he had never heard before.

His father had screamed his mother's name to the heavens, promising swift vengeance as he succumbed to his hidden power, exploding in a light with purplish tints. He hadn't lasted long before Matais plead for his father to run and escape the Noxian hordes.

It had saved them.

When they took refuge in Piltover, his father had encouraged practice in the arcane, preparing his son for a bright future in the mage college centered in Piltover. All of his plans and hard work blew away with the breeze of change when only two years after losing his mother, his father was brutally gutted before him.

The Cog Mafia, a troublesome gang that ransacked the Ionian slums of Piltover for any piece of gold or hextech, had rushed his father's medicine shop. They broke glasses, vials and plants all meant to heal the good citizens who entered the business.

His father had bled to death at his feet and much like what his own patriarch had done when his mother was killed, he had exploded into a purple arcane energy. He decimated the attackers and the shop, throwing shrapnel and fire into the autumn night air. The eleven year old had screamed his agony and pain away, surrounding himself and his father's body in a magical shield, obliterating anything that stood outside of it.

He was vengeance, he was power, he was strength.

It had hit him then, the hunger for more of those feelings were why men and women like the Noxains and the Cog mafia did what they did.

He looked to the twilight sky through the whole he made in the roof, tears lining his cheeks as he promised the spirits of his mother and father. He would never harm a being unless absolutely necessary.

Sirens wailed in the distance.

The Piltover Police Department found the young Ionian lad guiltily hanging his head low and confessing to the murder of the bandit bodies around him. Not one of the officers had shamed him as they scooped the boy away from his father's body and prepared him for Piltover Company.

At his age of twenty three he tries to keep his negative past away from the bright hopes of a long happy future. But his father had once said something that still rings in his mind.

"Remember the pillars of the past hold the foundation of your future. Do not forget where you came from as it helps you from being blinded from the bright light."

He smirks in the middle of his meditation as his father's voice consoles him among his inner thoughts. He rises from his seated form, stretching out his long limbs. Slowly he opens his almond shaped sea green eyes to the bright evening sun. It strikes his sharp facial features through the floor to ceiling window in the fifty first common room. Bending down, his knobby digits reach for the leather bound book at his feet, collecting it into his arms and pressing the binding into his chest.

With a content sigh and an easy smile gracing his small lips he walked out of the common room to adventure to the lower floor library. He was on the hunt for a new spell tome and he was sure there was one in the Piltover City Archives.

He froze mid step as he came face to face with the Noxian girl in the hallway.

Her emerald eyes regarded him swiftly before turning her attention to Dakota's doorway. A long heavy sigh escaped her full lips. She approached the pine door, extending her arm to knock against the wood, before a brisk sharp noise broke from Matias's throat capturing her gaze.

"May I have a word with you?" He asked, trying to hide the uneasiness in his voice. Everytime he came near the girl, something ticked at his instincts. His stomach would churn as dread and terrible energy poured out of the girl. He recently had chalked it up to her just being a Noxian.

Maybe that was the cause. But if this girl was to be anywhere near Dakota with such negative vibes, he would have to ensure her safety. Afterall, Dakota was young. She didn't understand the ways of magic like he did. If this Noxian girl practically reeked of bad energy than he would need to keep Dakota safe.

The Noxian rose an eyebrow to the Ionian born man. She rolled her eyes heavily, mumbling something under her breath. She crossed her arms over her chest, glowering to the mage with suspicious eyes. "What do you want?" She spat, keeping her posture on guard.

Matais's face fell flat in an unimpressed expression. His lips fell into a hardline as he regarded the Noxian's guarded form.

"What are your plans with Dakota?" He asked flatly. "Do you intend to make her happy? Or are you going to destroy her heart?"

"I don't see how that is any of your business." Illya retorted with a devilish chuckle.

"In fact it is. Unlike Elric, I am quite civilized." Matais began. "I am just ensuring that my youngest ward is well taken care of and that some _Noxian_ girl does not toy with her." He pointed menacingly." She is deeply cared about in this unit and I can assure you that if any such thing occurs; all of us would not hesitate to punish your terrible deeds."

Illya gave an amused snort toward the dark skinned man."You and her brother should get married; you're already such dedicated parents." She took a step closer to Matais. " And I'll warn you now. Stay out of _our_ business. Dakota can make decisions for herself, she's a lot stronger than some of you seem to think. She isn't some little girl lost in the woods with no guidance. I mean I appreciate your concern, but your blatant racism is clouding your judgement _Ionian._ I am not your enemy and I am fairly certain I am not Dakota's either."

The Ionian rose a dark eyebrow to the young woman before him. He gave a thoughtful smirk. "I seem to have underestimated you. My deepest apologies." True to his heritage, he bowed low in regret.

A smug smirk spread through her full lips as she turned her back on the man. "I appreciate the apology and I accept." She called over her shoulder, before rapping her knuckles against the door of Dakota's quarters.

Matais took a step back, turning on his leather booted heels.

"Ah, good to see you haven't jumped out of a window." His ears had pricked at the Noxian's voice. "It's ok, darling. Vi isn't that much of an asshole and well if Abbie says anything I'm sure we could have a few… words, hmm? Just let me in and we can _discuss_ further."

There was an audible sigh and a hearty chuckle before the door was silently closed.

Matais looked over his shoulder to find the hallway empty and took a breath of relief.

He pushed the negative energy away from him, cleansing the area with his aura and scowled in the general direction of the Noxian.

Something was off about that girl, and for some reason, he couldn't put a finger as to what it was.

***********************************************************/)(\\*******************************************

{Imogen Heap-Wait It Out}

45 minutes later

A content grin spreads through her thin lips as the girl, nuzzled into her bare shoulder, chuckles lowly. A dexterous finger traces the black ink etched into the Noxian's right shoulder.

The pattern is a slow swirl that is darker than midnight itself. The einhundert company was infamous among Demacian ranks. They were trained elite fighters that replaced the crimson elite with new tactics and a younger generation of strong Noxians.

Illya's nose pressed closer into the side of Dakota's neck, taking in the ever present scent of mint and fire. They were hidden underneath the white sheets of the comfortable twin bed. Their legs entwined and their bare bodies tangled close together. One of Illya's hands rested loosely against the soldier's collarbone, pressing her fingers into the yellowing bruises that had formed on her neck.

"They are healing well." She murmured softly, craning her neck forward to place her lips along the skin.

Dakota snorted as she pushed herself up from her elbows, causing Illya to whine in protest. The soldier gave a wry smirk to the lilac haired girl. "I have to get going. I told Caitlyn I would go with her to the range."

Illya rolled over to her back allowing the soldier free space to escape the safe confines of sheets and body heat. "Some mother daughter shooting. How touching." Illya sighed, pulling the covers over her cold body. _Bloody Piltovian winters_ , She sneered mentally.

Dakota's face fell into a frown. "No, it's nothing like that. Just…" She sighed. "We're just trying to figure out where we stand."

"Mmm, yes in true Deramore style, by shooting the hell out of things." Illya chuckled, pushing herself into a sitting up position. She crossed her pale scarred arms on top her kneecaps and leaned her chin into the divot of her elbow. Her emerald eyes watched Dakota intently as the soldier dressed herself. Curiously she observed the way the soldier's neck tightened as she clipped her axe belt together. Dexterous fingers ensured her prized possessions were strapped safely to her hips and through the belt loops of her pants.

A small glower crossed the Noxian's features as the soldier shrugged on a shirt over her muscular shoulder blades. The soldier's scarred back was one of the many things that Illya enjoyed to oggle. She rose a lilac eyebrow to the girl's expression as Dakota turned and rolled her eyes.

"Keep talking and I'll kick you out of my bed." She warned, playfully shoving Illya's back onto the mattress. The soldier descended upon the girl, her arms on either side of Illya as she straddled the Noxian's hips. She bent her neck down pressing their lips together in a quick peck, before she pulled away, grabbing her canvas winter jacket off of the foot of the bed.

She gave a devilish smirk toward Illya as the Noxian gave a flustered pout. "That was rude, darling."

"I'll make it up to you later." The soldier called over her shoulder in a small chuckle before exiting her quarters and closing the door behind her.

She took a second to button up the black canvas winter jacket. The emblem of Piltover Company was stitched into her left shoulder while the insignia of the fifty first was embroidered into her right. She took the necessary steps toward the sheriff's office, gently rapping her knuckles against the hard oak door.

"Enter." Was the curt and polite call of welcome from the sheriff.

Dakota obliged, turning the brass doorknob, the teen entered into the office space.

"Good evening, Dakota. I'll only be a minute, just need to finish off this last piece and we'll get moving." Caitlyn explained turning her attention back to the parchments.

"Yeah, of course. Take your time." The soldier pushed her hands inside her jacket pockets, keeping her eyes trained on her boots as they made patterns in the dark gray carpeted floor.

Caitlyn's signature etched into the parchments. She flashed her icy eyes to Dakota, observing the way the soldier busied herself. It always pleased the sheriff to see the girl with a strong posture. She admired the way her shoulders looked as if they could hold heavy burdens. In a way they reminded her of Vi's shoulders; strong, sturdy, reliable.

Caitlyn shook herself mentally.

She pressed the paper into a manila folder, sorting it away to be sent off to archives. She flattened the front of her blouse, before rising from her desk and briskly walking over to the coat rack. She shrugged on her green fur lined cotton jacket, buttoning up the material to ensure she would stay warm in the Piltovian winter. She pushed her digits into close fitting leather gloves, before she strutted over to a gun locker, inputting a combination and retrieving her rifle.

She stood before Dakota, rifle strapped to her back and motioned for her to lead the way outside of the office. Dakota gave a small smirk before exiting.

The sheriff and the soldier walked through the offices. Dakota was more at a leisure pace, her long legs able to catch up to Caitlyn's sauntering speed. Her hands dug deep into her pockets and a blithe expression crossed over her features as she trailed Caitlyn. The sheriff on the other hand, had to keep a bravado as she traversed the working stations of her hardworking officers. Her chin was tilted up and her small shoulders were squared as she focused her eyes forward. Anyone who was willing to approach quickly cut their eyes and continued on with their path. As they entered into the elevator, the sheriff relaxed into an easier posture, shedding the icy armor of the Piltover's renowned sheriff and taking up the warm personality of Caitlyn, the motherly figure who baked on her days off and enjoyed a tall glass of wine with her books. A warm smile spread through her thin lips as she turned her attention to Dakota.

"Thank you, for coming along with me. I haven't been to the range in a long time." Caitlyn explained. "It helps me think a little bit clearly."

"I get what you mean." The soldier chuckled, the finger of her left hand brushing against the latches of her holster. "I do the same with my axes. Especially when I've had a tough go for awhile. It's easy to do something that you don't really need to think about. It helps you block out all the crap in the world."

Caitlyn nodded in agreement. "Absolutely."

The elevator gave a cheerful ding, notifying the riders that they had arrived to their destination.

Caitlyn stepped out, followed by Dakota. The teen gave a slight shiver as cold air from the parking garage struck her body. She pulled the hood of her jacket over her head to help maintain some sort of warmth while hunching her shoulders over.

Caitlyn stopped in front of a navy blue hexmobile. It's design was sleek and elegant, made of aerodynamic curves along the body of the vehicle. Caitlyn opened the trunk, safely storing her rifle along the confines of the hexmobile before moving to the driver side door.

The ride to the rifle range was silent, as the teen kept her gaze forward, her eyes darted left to right looking for potential threats among the skyscrapers. Being a trained soldier fixed your perspective; anything could turn sour and it was best to be prepared for those situations. Every now and again her eyes would shift to the sheriff, watching as her thin lips, were pressed into a hard concentrated line. Her gloved fingers wrapped around the leather of the steering wheel with a strong grip.

It seemed as if Caitlyn wanted to say something, but was thinking better of it. They'd have plenty of time to talk things out at the range.

Easily, the sheriff pulled into a dirt lot, setting the hexmobile in park before removing her seat belt.

"I didn't know you were a woodsy kind of person." Dakota smirked at the entrance of the range. An arch way of Ionian furs, Demacian silver pines and leafless Piltovian maples broke away to a small kept gravel and snow covered path. The breathtaking view of the ironspike mountains gave a beautiful backdrop to the area as snow fell gently from the sky.

"It's the only safe place where civilians won't go bothering my concentration." Caitlyn explained, exiting out of the vehicle. "Plus," She called behind her shoulder. "The local shooting ranges aren't a challenge for me like they were when I was younger. I can really shoot at a distance from here."

"Fair enough." Dakota chuckled. She pulled the collar of her jacket closer into her face, smiling at the shivering cold as she stepped out of the hexmobile.

"Come on." Caitlyn tutted, strapping the rifle to her back and closing the boot of the hexmobile firmly. "We've got a bit of a distance to cover to set up our position."

"Lead the way." The soldier gestured.

The soft crunch of heavy boots, Piltovian larks, winter breeze and brushing pine trees were the only sound accompanying the sheriff and the soldier as they hiked up a small incline. The sheriff began to whistle a soft tune that Dakota recognised instantly as the soldier's lullaby, a Piltovian children's song that graced her ears in her childhood. Her own mother would sing it to her while she drifted off to sleep or when she needed comforting. It brought content thoughts of happy memories containing smiles that warmed her very core . It reminded her of a time when Caitlyn had visited her family for a snowdown. The two of them whisked off to a sitting room enjoying the heat of the roaring fireplace and the safety of home. It hit her then why her mother always let Caitlyn have those small private moments without anyone to bother them. Why, when the young sheriff looked haggard, her mother would hand Dakota to Caitlyn and whisper to go relax, catch up, remember that there was good in the world.

Her mother was trying to keep a bond between them.

She froze as they came to the edge of a small cliffside. Trees broke away and in the far distance in a clearing where three targets spread apart at different intervals. On the cliffside, a small hut was placed at the edge of the forest and the lookoff. A small door was held locked by a padlock.

Caitlyn strode toward the hut, digging into her pockets as she retrieved her keys. With a satisfying click, the padlock came loose and the sheriff opened the shack door. Inside, rows of shelves holding ammo, protective gear, paint, blankets, food, a campfire tea kettle and tools took up most of the space. Caitlyn handed off a blanket, binoculars and an ammo box to Dakota, who took them quickly.

The raven haired woman frowned as she inspected the girl's bare fingers. She craned her neck to gaze over the top of the shelves. She reached up, letting her leathered fingers graze over sanded wood , looking for the familiar texture of leather. A small pleased smile graced her thin lips as her fingers found gloves.

"Wear these," She tutted, pushing the material into her biological daughter's chest. "No point in losing your digits due to frostbite. You should be more careful, it can get very cold out here."

Dakota rolled her icy eyes, smirking lazily and raising an eyebrow at the woman.

"Don't give me that look, young lady." The sheriff pointed giving the girl a stern frown. "You won't roll your eyes when you can't work with hextech anymore because your fingers froze off."

She pushed past the chuckling soldier, marching to exit the hut. Dakota followed, a small pip in her step as excitement coursed through her body. If she was lucky, she could hold one of the most powerful hextech rifles known in Valoran. A rifle so infamous, that hextechnicians around the globe had traveled to inspect the piece, but only to be turned down by the sheriff. Her rifle was exclusive to only a few people, such as herself, Vi and Professor Deramore, the creator of the rifle. Much like Vi's gauntlets, Caitlyn's rifle was cared for like a vulnerable yet volatile child. No one touched it. Not even if you had the best intentions.

Caitlyn trudged through the snow looking for the proper place to set up a well situated position facing the distant targets.

"This should be perfect." She turned to the soldier who walked up beside her. "Help me lay the blanket down."

Dakota nodded, carefully placing the ammo box at her feet. She unfurled the crocheted material over the snow laden ground. It was a dark woollen fabric with crosses of yellow and red lines, creating a plaid pattern.

Caitlyn pulled at the edges to create a taut square before kneeling on the material. Dakota placed the ammo box between them as she sat cross legged beside the sheriff. Caitlyn pulled her rifle from her shoulder, unstrapping the beautiful piece of hextech from her person.

The ivory pieces gleaned from the light of the afternoon sun beating behind snow clouds of the winter sky. The bronze barrel and stock seemed as if it was polished enough to be gold to the unknowing eye. But real hextechnicians and metallurgists would know, they would see that it was high grade bronze crafted to be durable, just like all of Dr. Deramore's creations.

Dakota couldn't help but longingly observe the rifle with a small open mouthed expression.

The sights were made out of highly tested heat tempered glass with holographic crossheirs. The pink power crystal loading system glowed with energy, wisps of rosy smoke wafted into the cold air.

Caitlyn set the bolt action back, ensuring the hammer was set in safety before she lay prone on the blanket. She rested the butt into the press of her shoulder. She pulled the bipod stand from the bottom of the forend, stabilizing the rifle on top of the even blanket. She rested her cheek along the stock, steadying her breath as she focused on the sights. Her lithe finger adjusted the sights to a meticulous standard. With a satisfied hum, she extended her trigger arm to the ammo box, unlatching it as she kept her sight on the targets over three kilometers away. Her fingers clasped around a bullet, sliding it from its arrangement and out to the open air. She took a large breath in, taking the time to calm her mind, letting all of the tension flow out of her body.

She placed the bullet into the chamber, letting her fingers glide along the brass and the trigger guard before she pulled the bolt action forward. She exhaled as the satisfying clink of the bullet entered into the chamber fully, echoing through her bones.

It felt as natural as breathing. Every component was just another piece of her being. Every shot was like a scream from her lungs as frustration, confusion and sadness seeped out.

Her trigger finger rested against the trigger guard, as she made last minute adjustments.

"Middle target, approximately three and a half kilometers from this position. Wind adjustments for North-eastern winds of up to twenty kilometers per hour. " A small smile pressed through her lips. "Do you think I could hit it?"

She could hear the soldier beside her snort. "I wouldn't doubt it really. The worse you could possibly do, is hit the outside ring." Dakota looped the binoculars around her neck, before pressing them to her face.

"Are you in a betting mood?" Caitlyn asked, keeping her icy eyes to the target.

The girl choked out in surprise. "The Sheriff of Piltover is a gambler?" Dakota chuckled in surprise.

"I do not condone gambling, Master Corporal. It is a terrible and nasty habit that can ruin your life and the lives of the people around you." Caitlyn tutted sharply before falling into a teasing tone. "However, this isn't gambling. I know I can make the shot. I'll hit it right in the middle."

The soldier raised a raven black eyebrow. "Awfully cocky, aren't you?"

"That's not cocky, love. That's confidence." Caitlyn clarified.

"Alright, fine. If you hit the bullseye, supper is on me." Dakota smirked. "And if you miss, you take the unit out for drinks this weekend."

The sheriff gave a low throaty laugh. "Love, I never miss. Not by a longshot."

"Prove it. You only get one shot."

"Too easy."

The soldier snickered into her newly gloved hands. "Whenever you're ready, Sheriff."

Caitlyn rolled her eyes, smirking against the brass and ivory stock. She settled her shoulders, her breath easy and relaxed. She drew in air through her nose, holding it in her lungs as her finger left the trigger guard. She began to add a small amount of pressure into the trigger, squeezing it slowly.

The world around her blurred into nothingness as she tunnel visioned the target.

 _Slightly up, a quarter millimeter to the left. Deep breath. Hold._

The world quieted down around her as her relaxed heartbeat lulled her in a hypnotic state.

 _Perfect._

Her finger pulled back on the trigger. The rifle kicked back, pushing roughly into the Sheriff's shoulder as she sharply exhaled out her held breath. Snow kicked up near the muzzle before settling down.

In the distance a heavy metal thunk echoed off from the clearing before them. Caitlyn turned her cheek to look at the soldier beside her.

The girl's jaw was slack as her eyes stay glued through the binoculars.

"Holy shit." The soldier sputtered in shock, pulling her eyes away from the target. "How...What?! I don't know much about shooting, but shouldn't that be damn near impossible to do on the first shot?"

Caitlyn chuckled as she pulled the bolt action back, expending the bullet casing from the chamber. "It should be, but I've had quite a lot of practice, love."

"Teach me." Dakota spoke in awe watching as the sheriff pressed a fresh load of ammo into the chamber, setting the bolt and preparing for another shot.

She watched how immobile the sheriff became as she held herself steady, aiming down the sights with a predatory look. She was a hunter tracking down and ending her prey. Each shot needed to count.

"Right side Target. Approximately three and three-quarter kilometers away from our position. Wind lowered to a breeze of ten kilometers per hour still at a North-Eastern direction." Caitlyn announced.

Quickly Dakota located the next target. It was a bit farther in distance and she squinted through the optical zoom, locating the red dot.

The rifle went off.

Seconds later, the shot pierced the bullseye. Again.

"That's incredible." She gasped.

"Alright, come over here." Caitlyn invited, leaning away from the rifle and wiggling to allow the soldier some space. "Now this will be difficult. We are at a very far distance, so do not be discouraged. You might not be able to hit anything this trip to the range. But practice makes perfect."

Dakota nodded. She passed the binoculars to the raven haired woman, before she lowered herself onto her stomach, taking the sheriff's spot behind the rifle. Her hands shook as Caitlyn crawled over her, setting the rifle into position. She nestled the butt of the rifle into Dakota's shoulder, her fingers moulded the teenagers hands around the grips.

"Have you ever fired anything of this calibre?" She asked, placing a reassuring hand on the teenager's lower back.

The girl shook her head. "I've only shot a pistol, but that was once and in a life or death situation."

"There's a lot to learn about this kind of weaponry. Tell me, how do you aim while throwing your axes?" Caitlyn asked, placing her chin along the top of Dakota's left shoulder. She tipped the soldier's jaw to rest her right cheek along the stock of the rifle. The soldier grimaced slightly as she rested along the bruises of her face.

"I use my elbow." The soldier replied quickly, taking the sheriff's hint as she aimed down the sight. "Where my elbow, foot and thumb are pointed and then I guess at the distance. I try to calculate how hard I need to throw and the spin count it needs to make the rotation."

Caitlyn sighed. "Be careful with how you're aiming. If you press your face any closer, the kick will break your cheekbone. I broke my nose when I was thirteen because I did not respect the weapon I was using."

"Ow." Dakota cringed. A shiver ran down her spine. "That sounds terrible."

Caitlyn chortled. "I had to wear a nose brace for a month. My mother was very intent in ensuring I didn't have a crooked nose."

"You have to have pictures of that?" Dakota giggled, her shoulders shaking from the small laughter.

"In some dusty photoalbum, I do believe there is one somewhere." The sheriff groaned. "Okay, focus."

Dakota tried to conceal the smile on her face.

"Look at the trees. See the way the wind is blowing?"

The soldier nodded in affirmation.

"Look in the sights. Due to my request there is a digital compass in the corner of the HUD. Now depending on the way the wind blows, it can change the trajectory of the bullet, so you need to compensate, as well as other things." Caitlyn explained. "However, since this is your first time, I want you to try this on your own. We'll see what we can work on and what to adjust for your next shot. Trust your gut instinct, it may carry you farther than you think."

"Okay. I'll see what I can do." Dakota whispered, already focusing on the task at hand.

She took a large breath, as she settled her body into a steadier pose, just as she had watched Caitlyn do, prior to her taking the rifle. She focused in on the sights, watching as her breath made the scopes move with every lungful. In her peripherals she watched as pines bowed to a strong gust of wind. Her eyes looked to the small compass in the sights, judging the direction of the gust. She adjusted, estimating that the wind should help direct the bullet to the target. She looked at the distance.

"How far away is the one closest to us?" She asked, breaking the silence.

Caitlyn beamed. "Three and a quarter kilometers from us."

Dakota squinted in the sights for a final time. If she learned anything from throwing her axes it was that sometimes you had to overcompensate for height to make distance. She nodded through her logic, holding her breath in her cheeks as she tipped the rifle muzzle up the slightest.

"Okay, I think I got it." Dakota spoke quickly.

"Put your finger on the trigger." Caitlyn instructed. "Now don't forget there is going to be a very hard kick, so brace for the impact. But don't be too rigid either, you'll hurt yourself. Make sure that you add just a little bit of pressure slowly to the trigger, rather than outright shooting. It will help with a cleaner shot."

Dakota took in the newly added information.

She exhaled through her nose before she took another large breath, holding it in. Her finger added pressure to the trigger pushing slightly until she knew she was ready.

 _BOOM_

The butt of the rifle pounded roughly into her shoulder, making her grunt out her held breath. Snow kicked up around them from the force of the rifle going off. Caitlyn braced against Dakota, helping her take the powerful kick as she hovered over her biological daughter's left shoulder.

As soon as everything settled down, Dakota gave Caitlyn a shit eating grin. "Holy… I…" She threw her head back and laughed to the afternoon sky. It was a wholesome, hearty laugh that was contagious as it traveled through Caitlyn. She couldn't help but giggle along. "That was amazing. Oh my gods, it just..there was so much oomph to it."

"It's quite exhilarating." Caitlyn pushed herself up from her prone position, standing on her feet. She pressed the binoculars to her face, looking through the optics.

"It is! I'm shaking from how exciting that was." Dakota pushed up from her belly as she kneeled. "Oh man, I have go to do that again." She shakily stood to her feet, letting the giddy energy course through her as she stood beside Caitlyn. "So how'd I do?"

Stoically the sheriff handed the binoculars to the soldier. Dakota looked through the optics.

She zoomed in and focused the lenses, squinting as she tried to find where she might've hit.

She couldn't believe her own eyes.

The hole had penetrated the very outside edge of target.

"I estimate you were off by a half foot." Caitlyn deadpanned, her expression unreadable and stoic.

Dakota's brow furrowed. "Damn. I really thought I'd be able to hit the mark." The teen frowned.

The raven haired woman turned to the girl. Caitlyn's eyes danced over the soldier's disappointed features. She reached forward, grabbing the girl's jacket, pulling her into an embrace. She wrapped her arms around the soldier, squeezing Dakota tightly.

With a sigh, the teen reciprocated the hug grinning wildly at the sheriff.

"I'm proud of you Dakota." Caitlyn said as she pulled away, tucking a stray strand of the teen's bangs behind her ear. "You did a very good job. That was probably the best shot I had ever seen from someone who has never held a rifle." She took a step back giving the girl some space after the unexpected embrace. "Not a lot of people can even hit the target on their first shot."

The girl's ears turned pink as she flushed furiously. A warm feeling spread through her chest as she looked up to the sheriff with a small smile.

"I guess it wasn't only your looks that I got from you." Dakota mentioned. "Must've got the shooting gene." She joked.

Caitlyn chuckled, surprised at the girl's joking mood. "You cannot forget my charm, love. You also got that."

"Ugh, the whole foot in the mouth thing? Yeah, thanks for that. It's your fault that I'm terribly awkward around the people I like." Dakota snorted. "No wonder Illya thinks I can be so uptight. It's all your fault."

"I'd choose your words a bit more carefully. I am not uptight." Caitlyn beamed at the girl, happy to participate in playful banter. "As for Illya, if she doesn't like it, she can leave."

The teen rolled her eyes. "Oh not you too. Elric is not a fan of her, either." She whined.

"Illya seems to be getting quite bold with you. One would even say the two of you had become quite smitten with each other." Caitlyn raises a questioning eyebrow to the teen.

"How did you know?" Dakota asked quickly, her cheeks flamed in bright red.

"Love, I'm Piltover's greatest detective, there is not a lot you can hide from me." Caitlyn teased. "It also doesn't help your case that you drunkenly admitted to us that you couldn't get her out of your head." The sheriff looked to the teen with an unimpressed frown. "I would appreciate it though if she wasn't skulking around out of your room in the wee hours of the morning during my work shift. Especially, wearing just your uniform shirt.

If it were anymore possible the teen became redder. "I..." The girl averted her eyes, her fingers fiddling with the latches of her axe holsters at her hips.

"You should be careful with her, Dakota." Caitlyn said sternly, her eyes hardening slightly toward the teen. "Girls like Illya usually lead to a sour heartbreak. Sure they seem fun and wild, but you can never tame them. You can try, but they will always be wild, you can either accept it or get hurt by it."

"I know." She admitted. "But I think that I really...like her…" Dakota sighed heavily, reaching behind her head and nervously scratching her neck. "She's sassy and challenging and she just...She wants to try. I want to try. I want to prove that I'm worth staying for. I want her to still be 'wild' and sassy, it's what I like in her, even though it drives me crazy. I admit, she's rude and too forward for her own good, but it's refreshing."

Caitlyn's eyes softened at the lovestruck teen. With a sigh, she began to make her way back to her rifle, laying on her stomach. She moved over patting the space in front of the weapon as she welcomed the teen over. "Let's talk."

***********************************************************/)(\\*******************************************

(Two hours later)

{Daydreamer- Travelling Light}

The thing about Piltover is that no matter where you looked, if you were up high, it always provided a beautiful view of the landscape. The shopping districts were always alight with stringed slowdown lights and hextech streetlamps that donned a warm yellowish haze. To the east the lower city and the dockyards were visible through the Lunar Revel lanterns in little Ionia. Up among the North Western side of the city were the manor houses of the upper city nobles, statesmen and celebrities. The small glow of hex lights shining through curtained windows revealed the massive front gardens.

He sighed as the cold struck through his bones. He huddled closer into his cotton overcoat, hunching his shoulders over his ears. A small shiver shook through his large frame as a cold winter breeze bit at him like a rabid vicious dog. It wasn't often that he came up to the rooftop of city hall. In fact Elric Sampson, unlike his sister, hated heights. It was a fear engraved into him and something he was never willing to admit. But sometime fear helps you think a bit more clearly. So here he was, safely in the centre of the rooftop, swaying his vision to observe the city in its nightly (ha!) presence. He dug his hands into the pockets of his coat to stave off the cold as he paced the roof.

His thoughts were riddled with worry for Dakota. He should have been more understanding. He should have been more sympathetic and sensitive. It seemed as if his sister had went through a lot since he was away.

But she had to understand, he only wants the best for her. Illya… he wasn't quite sure about the Noxian yet. The girl had proved to be a good ally, someone who they could trust, especially in a fight.

However, there was something about Illya, something that always put the hairs on the back of his neck to stand on end. Maybe it was just him being uneasy about her being Noxian, or the way her lips could turn up in a wicked smirk whenever she watched Dakota. She reminded him of a hungry wolf with clever fox like eyes. Even in the dungeon they had shared; Viktor's acolytes knew to give her a wide berth for fear of her striking them like a Targonian cobra. He respected her for it and he commended her for being something that even the monsters were afraid of.

Did he really want his baby sister to be seeing someone like that?

"Your pacing is making it very hard to concentrate on the scenery, blondie." Illya tutted, keeping her eyes on her sketchbook. Her emerald were focused on the charcoal lines and shapes she pressed into the white parchment. She rested the leather-bound book on top of her thighs. Her shoulders hovered over her art protectively, trying to shield the winter wind. She was huddled into a familiar looking knit sweater. The hood was pulled over her lilac coloured head. The left shoulder provided the insignia of Piltover Company, and the right with the fifty-first crest proudly sewn in with the Sampson name right underneath it.

Elric's brow furrowed as he looked at the girl suspiciously.

"How long have you been up here?" He demanded hotly, his sapphire eyes narrowed as the girl gave a devilish smirk to the young man.

"Longer than you." She muttered. "Before you so rudely broke my concentration of my sketching." Her emerald eyes flashed up from her page and observed Elric. "What's got you in such a tiff that you're pacing so much? That's usually something Dakota does."

"It's nothing." He quickly sputtered out.

Illya quirked an eyebrow at him. "Mmmmmmmmmhm. I'll believe that the day Dakota gives up Hextech." She scooted over a few spaces from her spot against the ventilation system. She patted the space in invitation. "C'mon, blondie. Take a seat, tell me your woes and sorrows. I'm sure it could fascinate me long enough to make me feel inspired to draw again. Then I can just ignore you." She chuckled.

Elric huffed. With a defeated sigh he trudged forward, sitting next to Illya. He brought his knees up to his chest, feeling the warmth from the air ventilator circulating heat through city hall and the police headquarters.

"Spill it." She focused her attention on the parchment tracing a thick line of a near-by skyscraper.

"What are… why does…" He struggled with the words he wanted to say, not sure what he wanted the answers to. He shook his head. "Are you in it for the long run, Illya?"

The girl froze mid sketch. "Pardon?" She looked up to Elric with questioning eyes.

"With my sister." He explained further.

"Uhh, don't you think that's a bit fast. I mean we only really started being 'with' each other today," She curled her fingers into air quotation marks.

"Really?" He asked surprised, his blonde eyebrows practically shooting off of his face.

"Yeah. Your sister is very indecisive with her feelings." She snorted. "I have never seen someone dance so much around what she actually wants. She's like a skittish rabbit in a farmer's garden; she's not sure if it's worth the bloody carrot or not. You Piltovians are weird. Just go for it, stop holding yourselves back." She flicked her wrist in a dismissive gesture. "Honestly, it's annoying."

"Just don't hurt her okay." Elric blurted out. "She deserves a lot more than getting her heart stomped on. She's been through enough."

Illya grinned at Elric. "Now that's more like it. Honesty is the best policy! Doesn't it feel much better to get it off your chest than dancing around the subject?" She placed a hand on his massive shoulder. "I understand your protectiveness, Elric.. Don't worry, she's got quite the brilliant head on her shoulders as well as a team of people who care deeply about her. I see where she got her thoughtfulness and loyalty from. You raised her well." She spoke, focusing her attention on the parchment as she drew another line in charcoal.

"Well I have to worry about her. It's my job." He followed her line of sight, nodding appreciatively at what she was drawing. "Just know though, if you hurt her, there will be nothing in this world that will keep you safe from me." He warned. "I understand that sometimes relationships don't work out and that's fine and all, but if you cheat on or physically hurt her, there will be no place for you to run or hide."

Illya chuckled. "Of course, I wouldn't expect anything less from you, blondie. You have to keep your cub safe, mother bear." She playfully nudged Elric in the ribs.

Suddenly the two of them sat ramrod straight as the heavy metal door behind them opened.

"Illya?"

"Hey Darling, glad you're back. I'm just over here with a very handsome gentleman." She winked at the young man, who rolled his eyes.

Their ears pricked at the sound of gravel being held under heavy boots. Dakota came around the corner and took a careful step back as she saw Elric seated comfortably next to Illya. She raised a raven black eyebrow to her brother.

"El?" Dakota looked suspiciously between her brother and her new maybe-not-so-sure girlfriend. "What are you two up to?" Her tone was wary as she eyed them.

Illya smirked. "See I told you, like a damned rabbit." She snickered. "Come and sit with us darling, we were having quite the nice heart to heart."

"Really?" Dakota said doubtfully.

"Yup." Illya replied, patting the space between herself and Elric.

With another quick look, Dakota sighed and sat between the two. Illya leaned into her, taking her free hand and twining their fingers together. She pressed her cheek into Dakota's shoulder, nuzzling her nose into her canvas winter jacket. "You're warm." Illya hummed, pressing closer into the soldier's side.

"Yes, because I am not stupid and don't stay out in long periods of time with a sweater that doesn't belong to me." Dakota teased. She pressed a quick peck to the Noxain's forehead. The raven haired girl released their fingers before scooping Illya into her lap. She wrapped her arms around the girl, pulling her in closely to help keep her warm.

Illya placed her sketchbook aside and looked to the soldier with a pleased yet surprised smirk. "You're in a lovey mood. Who are you and what have you done to Dakota?" The Noxian teased, settling herself into the soldier's embrace.

"You'd be surprised how relaxing shooting can be." Dakota snorted in reply. "I feel lighter somehow."

Elric looked at his sister quizzically. "You went shooting?"

"Yeah. Caitlyn and I went to her private range at the base of the ironspike mountains. I got to fire her rifle. My first shot clipped the target." The soldier boasted. "I impressed the sheriff."

"Doesn't seem that impressive." Illya chuckled, rubbing her thumb along Dakota's forearm.

"It was far away." Dakota argued. " _Three and quarter_ kilometers away." She gave a cocky smirk to the giggling Noxian. "That is something pretty hard to do for someone who hasn't touched a rifle, let alone shoot one."

"Honestly, with the genes you two share I would expect you to actually hit a bullseye." Illya teased, pressing her back closer into the Piltovian's chest. She froze suddenly as she felt Dakota stiffen behind her.

"What did you just say?" Elric questioned suspiciously. His jaw tightened as he looked to the Noxian quizzically.

"Uh-" Illya stammered.

"Illya, love. Would you mind giving me and my brother some privacy?" Even though Dakota's voice was calm, Illya could feel the soldier's nervousness. "He needs to know. I've been putting it off."

" I need to know, what?" Elric's voice caught in his throat as worry creeped up his spine. Did she know? Did she figure out that she was-?

No, Caitlyn had promised him she wouldn't say anything.

There was no way she knew.

But Illya had said-

"Alright darling. I'll see you later then, hmm?" Illya pulled out of the soldier's embrace, turning quickly to tip Dakota's chin up. She pressed their lips together for a chaste kiss and as she pulled away she teasingly nipped the girl's lower lip. She winked before sashaying her hips and leaving the soldiers alone on the rooftop.

Dakota shook her head as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "She is going to be the death of me." She muttered through the massive blush staining her cheeks.

"Dakota?" Elric looked to his sister seriously, his mind reeling with questions. "What do I need to know?"

Taking a trembling breath, the girl reached out to squeeze her brother's hand reassuringly. She turned her seated body to face her brother, crossing her legs to allow him room as he did the same.

"I need you to promise me that no matter what, nothing changes after this." She plead.

"You know I'll always be here for you, Dakota. Nothing will change that."

"What I'm about to say will really impact our lives, El." Dakota admitted through a sigh. "Might as well get it over with." She muttered mostly to herself. "These bruises aren't just from the Pitts."

Elric's face darkened momentarily, his shoulders falling back as he entered into a protective mode.

Instinctively, Dakota looked to her hands and the way they held her brother's massive palms. They were so different from hers. They were wide, strong, warm and comforting hands. It was these hands that had taught her so much, that cared for her, that wiped away her tears, that stitched her together, that held her through her attacks, that protected her.

She took a steadying breath. Did he really need to know this? Did she really have to possibly ruin everything?

No. He needed to know.

It's not like he would abandon her after all of these years.

"While I was at Battlemania, I was attacked by a man who claimed to be my father. Caitlyn was called in when Vi noticed I was missing. He kept saying these things about Cait being my mom and that she hid me away from him. Obviously he's been arrested." Even though her throat struggles to say the words, she chuckles. She wipes at a tear trailing down her cheek. She looks to her brother, her icy eyes welling with tears.

Elric is frozen solid. His sapphire eyes are wide with concern and she finds his grips in her hands has turned into tightened stone.

"After a massive fight, Caitlyn explained that mum and dad adopted me. That she was actually my-"

"Your biological mother." Elric suddenly added nonchalantly. His voice was a lot warmer than his body language. He honestly didn't want his sister to find out about this, but circumstances proved uncanny. He gave his sister a small smile before he pulled his hands away from hers as he crawled over to her, breaking the space between them. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her face into his broad chest. He kissed the top of her head as he held her together. The last thing he wanted was for her to unravel. "Abbie and I found out a while ago."

Surprised, the teen pulled away from her brother, a frown etched into her thin lips. "And you didn't think it would be a good idea to tell me?" She asked incredulously pulling away from his embrace. Anger began to dance behind her icy blue irises.

"It wasn't important." He shrugged. Before she could argue with him further, he cut her off. "It doesn't change anything, Dakota. You will always be my sister and I will always be your brother, I don't care who the hell popped you out. You're MY sister and I'll fight anyone who says otherwise, do you hear me?"

The teenager launched herself at her brother, pulling him in tightly. Elric laughed loudly as he nuzzled into her hair, his large arms enclosing around her body.

"You're such a cheesy doorknob, you dork." Dakota sniffed into his shoulder.

"The cheesiest." He grinned.

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(Moments later)

{Lambert- As Ballad}

Caitlyn shouldn't have been surprised when she found her bruiser passed out on the couch when she came home. Vi was wrapped in a warm looking quilt, her face pressed into one of the couch pillows. Takeout food containers laid on the desolate coffee table, as well as a sprawled out case file.

Caitlyn raised a perplexed eyebrow. Vi doing paperwork? She reached for the file, catching a glimpse of the file name.

 _Eye Witness Sighting: Jinx, Zaun/Noxian Border January 13th 30CLE_

What was Jinx doing out by the Noxian border?

She was pulled out of her reverie by a low groggy voice. "C'mere, Cupcake." Caitlyn squeaked in surprise as she was pulled into the couch. Vi maneuvered her fiancee so that they lay chest to chest. Her sleepy violet eyes, looked to Caitlyn lovingly. She pulled apart her cocoon of the quilt to allow Caitlyn into the warmth. The brawler cupped the sheriff's cheek, pressing their lips softly together. A small pleased sound rumbled through Cait's chest as she lost herself to the kiss.

The raven haired woman slid her fingers through Vi's hair, tugging at the pink locks and dragging her nails over her shaved side. Playfully she nipped at the pinkette's lower lip.

This incited the enforcer to roll on top of the sheriff, a small cheeky grin breaking through her lips as she kissed her partner. Her hand traveled down to enclose her palms on the outside of Caitlyn's left thigh.

Caitlyn pulled away, humming in content as she rubbed their noses together. Vi grimaced. "Your nose is cold, babe." She chuckled lowly, giving the sheriff a quick peck to her button like nose. She then pressed her lips along the sheriff's jaw, revelling in the way that she smelled like snow and pine trees, with the distant scent of her favorite vanilla perfume.

Caitlyn giggled as ticklish sensations coursed from the contact of Vi's lips to her sensitive neck. A low chuckle came from Vi as she pulled herself away from the sheriff's throat to stare into her beautiful icy eyes.

"I love you." Caitlyn murmured as her eyes locked to Vi's violet hues. "You know that right?"

"Every day of my life, Cupcake." The pinkette replied. She rubbed her thumb reassuringly in small soothing circles along the outside of Cait's thigh.

The sheriff beamed widely, before pulling the enforcer into another passionate kiss, before pulling away. She played with Vi's hair, carding her slender fingers through the mess as the bruiser nestled herself into the crook of Caitlyn's neck and shoulders. Vi wrapped her arms around Caitlyn's waist, pulling her as close as possible to her body.

"Warmmmm." Vi keened out, huddling into the shared heat of the quilt. "So how was the great outdoors? Didja shoot the shit outta those targets, babe?" Vi joked, her voice starting to get heavy with sleep.

Caitlyn rolled her eyes as she smiled warmly to her partner. "I had quite a fun time with Dakota. She even took me out to dinner."

"Oh really? That's good." Vi pecked her partner's cheek in victory. "I told ya she'd be ok, just had to give her time."

"Mmm, yes." Caitlyn agreed, nuzzling into Vi's soft hair, catching the scent of her strawberry shampoo. She hummed happily. "We had quite a chat as well. We talked about everything. How she was taking her return to Piltover, what it was like to be a sheriff, we even talked about relationships."

Caitlyn could feel Vi's eyebrows quirk up against her neck. "Relationships?"

"Yeah, she asked me how I knew I was in love with you, what it was like to be in a stable relationship. We talked about her feelings for Tarryn and how she is learning to move on. She even talked about Illya." Caitlyn chuckled. "I think she's more than smitten with the girl. Illya also sounds like a very comforting partner. She's been helping Dakota sort through her thoughts."

Vi snorted. " 'Thoughts', yeah right. I caught them in the training room today. Two of 'em couldn't have been more intimate. Thank gods, her brother wasn't there or he woulda skinned the two of 'em. Bad enough Abbie was with me."

Caitlyn grimaced. "Don't get me wrong, I think Illya is good for Dakota, but she… I don't even know how to explain it. She makes me feel uneasy."

"That's just the spunk and sass. The girl is eye balls deep in it and she's bloody ruthless." Vi explained with a slight smirk. "I like her. But you know me, the sassier the better, that's why I like you." Vi chuckled. " You can out bitch anyone in Valoran by just staring them down."

"Excuse me?" Caitlyn asked in mock hurt.

"Oh bugger off, Cait. You know what I mean." Sneakily the brawler ran her fingers along Caitlyn's side, tickling the sheriff into a small yelp.

Before the sheriff could protest, Vi kissed her with a playful growl rumbling in her throat. She cupped Caitlyn's cheek, running her thumb lovingly over the sheriff's jawline, making her gasp. Vi stole her breath away as she dragged her teeth over her upper lip, pulling on the soft muscle before returning in a passionate lip lock.

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{Yoe Mase- Your Light}

( A week later)

"The circuits are in excellent condition!" Dakota explained, pointing at spots in the blueprints of the manor house. "Maybe a couple of frayed wires from some mice, but I could fix that easy."

Beside her Elric nodded. "That's good news. What about the insulation? Is it moldy or growing fungus?"

Dakota shook her head. "From what I saw, it's weather proofed really well. The pipes aren't even rusted. You could literally get a power generator connected to the grid and start living here within the week. You'd have to clean it up though, the dust is crazy, but the manor is in very great shape. What's your plan for the rooms?"

Elric sighed, running his fingers through his sandy hair. His sun kissed cheeks scrunched up as he thought through his plan. "Well Abbie and I could take the master bedroom. Would you want your room still?"

Dakota threw her hands up. "No nonono. This is your house. I don't need a room."

"Oh shove off, Dakota. I may be the deed owner, but this is as much as your home as it is mine." Elric pushed his sister's shoulder. "And Abbie wants Alex and Matais to have a space here as well. She doesn't want to split the team up. You should take the time to think about it. I mean we won't be moving in here until we get married two years from now. It should give us plenty of time to organize the renovations and get them done. We were thinking of turning the study into a training room."

Dakota nodded in thought. "Alright, what do you have to help invest in the project?" She asked already setting up the mental math for the expenses.

"Well, dad's trust fund for my college tuition is one option. They left some money in a savings account that I can get a hold of when I'm twenty two. My birthday is in two months so if we can hold out until then, we can start doing the bigger projects. It'll also be warmer to work in too, gotta love spring." He joked.

"We can use my college fund too." Dakota insisted. "It's small, but it's something that could help."

"Dakota, no, save that. You could still go to the university." Elric objected.

"And learn what? The basics of hextech. Yeah right, I'm not wasting my money on that. I have two very experienced hextechnologists who have started me on projects with them." Dakota explained. "I don't need the university."

Elric frowned at his sister. "You should consider it, I might not have a future for the University, but you do. You have a smart brain, I'm sure they'd give you a lot of scholarships to go to their school, Dakota."

"Yes, they'd love to have a trained operative in their University, one who has been on countless missions since the age of twelve. My education is meant for battle, not for solving what they deem as 'hard' coefficients." Dakota rolled her eyes.

The two siblings froze as the front door opened. Elric turned on his heels a smile growing on his face as he recognised the intruder. He rolled up the blueprints and pressed them to his sister's chest before he bounded off to Abbie's side.

He halted mid bounce when he saw her hollow expression. "Abbie?" His voice went up an octave as worry sunk into his heart, making it pound in his ears. "What's wrong?"

The captain's chocolate brown eyes swiveled to Dakota. "Can I have a moment alone with your brother?" She asked, her voice laced with disbelief and a distant fear.

Dakota squinted at Abbie, taking in her features. The redhead looked to be in pure shock. Her usually tan skin was gone completely of colour. It was almost a sickly pale hue that made Dakota's stomach twist uneasily.

Something didn't seem right.

"Are you sick, Abbie?" Dakota asked firmly, her eyebrows knit in worry.

"Don't make me repeat myself, Dakota!" Abbie snapped viciously.

The teenager held up her hands in defense. "Okay, by the void. Don't need to rip me apart." She muttered hotly. "If you need me I'll be in the cellar, looking at the circuit breaker." As soon as Dakota left the room, Elric turned on the redhead.

He placed his hands at her waist directing her to the marble steps of the stairs. He sat her down, before he followed suit. He twined their fingers together, his thumb running over her scarred knuckles. "What happened?"

Abbie took a steadying breath. "I vomited again this morning and got that terrible migraine. I started worrying because I've been feeling like I was a dory in the middle of the ocean in a hurricane. So I went to the Doctor to see if it was something serious." She looked to Elric.

"Oh gods, you're sick aren't you. What is it? Cancer? Malaria?" Elric's voice quavered in panic. "Don't worry, I know a lot of doctors that can help us. Some of them were really good friends with my dad. They'll be more than willi-"

"Elric." She said sharply catching his attention. She reached out, cupping his stubbled jaw. "I'm not sick." Tears welled up at the edge of her eyes. She squeezed his hand reassuringly, trying to shake the nervousness away from herself before she continued.

"I'm...I'm...I'm pregnant."

Elric's jaw dropped in shock. "You..you're actually...I'm gonna be…"

Abbie nodded her head quickly, a large beaming smile spreading through her lips. Tears of joy ran down her cheeks. "Three weeks. I'm due in November."

Elric's mouth twitched from surprised to smiling joy to surprised. "Really?" He asked in pure excitement. "You aren't even joking?"

"No, love." Abbie sniffled, laughing at his joyous expression.

The young man jumped up from his seat at the stairs. He threw his head back screaming in victory. "I'm going to be a father!" He screamed to the mosaic ceiling of his childhood home.

His sapphire eyes were a light with contagious happiness and tears. He looked to Abbie trying to stifle the sob coming up to his throat. "I'm going to be a father." He wheezed.

He took a moment to breathe as dizziness began to creep into his head, making his vision blurred.

He took a moment to look at Abbie, a small smile taking on his features before he frowned suddenly.

"Elric?" Abbie asked anxiously. "Are you okay?"

Before he could reply, unconsciousness took him, making him fall to the marble floor.


	19. UPDATE (IM STILL HERE BABES)

Hello lovelies,

I am suppppppppeeeeer sorry for how long it has taken, I have not abandoned this project, trust me it's been haunting and screaming at me to finish it for the past year and a half now. I really wanted to make sure that this chapter was written as perfectly as possible. It is the catalyst to everything going to shit :) Life is a busy thing and writer's blocks are massive jerks. Plus all of the new Piltover lore had come in and I had a brief month of thought to see if i wanted to rewrite to apply to that new lore. FYI I decided not to and continued with past time line. So I don't want to hear any complaints! I have also been working on a procrastination WIP about VI pre-becoming a piltie cop and let me tell you it's pretty good.

But first to the matter at hand. I am setting a deadline of having this out by this tuesday hopefully! My lovely Beta reader Karibu is going to a have a proverbial fire lit under his cute butt to edit with me and I already feel sorry for him. So if anyone would like to volunteer and be a final editor to make sure my sleep depraved mind hasn't made any stupid spelling errors, hit me up!

Sorry for the wait guys! I swear the next chapter is almost written. Thank you all for being patient, I cannot wait to hand this to you guys.

Thank you for your support,

Nightly


	20. Chapter 19:Change and Beginnings

_**A/N- Well bloody finally, eh? First of all whoops, I hope this extra long chapter makes up for everything. The Beta Reader and I have been #Busy ;.;Hopefully the next chapter won't take a year and a half to finish lol. Don't become adults it's a fucking trap. Anyways, I would love to thank the ever lovely and dweeb WG Karibu for the beta reading. He's my main boo and keeps this story in line. Best Waifu. And a massive thank you to all of you who are still reading this and who are hella supportive. I hope I never let you all down. Thank you thank you thank you. Now enjoy and Happy New Years kiddos!**_

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(1 Week Until the Attack on Piltover)

{The Hunna-Sycamore Tree}

The medals adorning her chest gleamed with pride. Her heart hammered in her throat as she stepped before the council of generals and commanders. Chocolate brown eyes swivelled to observe the faces of the disciplinary council seated on platforms raised from the marble floor. She tilted her chin, placing her shoulders back as she gathered a steely reserve.

She was Abigail Preston; Daughter of Reagan and Tarra Preston, Sister of Alexander Preston, Captain of Piltover's very own fifty-first unit. She was a leader, a trainer, a drill instructor.

And now she is a soon to be mother.

She would face the council with the intensity and fierceness she mustered since the day she was born. She had made new recruits older than herself shiver in fear with simple commands or tough excruciating drills. She was the pride of her commanders, the rock to her unit and the most ruthless discipliner.

"Captain Preston," A gruff voice broke through the silence of the wood panelled room. Commander General Grayer's dark green eyes focused on the young woman before him. His strong tanned hand ran through his well-groomed fiery beard. His square jaw was set in concentration as he brought the documents to his tired eyes. He removed his commander's cap from his short red and grey hair. "You have a solid history amongst our ranks. I see why the recruiters believed you would fit best with the fifty-first. You've done your unit and your city-state proud, Captain." His low voice began. "And with this history of enforcing rules and orders, you do understand the consequences of fraternization of subordinates under your order?"

"Stripped of my title, my pension and my position, sir." She admitted steadily, keeping her intense chocolate orbs on the Commander General. "I'll also be charged with fraternization and offence to the state, where I can be punished with fifteen lashes and ten weeks in military imprisonment, sir."

Grayer gave a small smirk as he placed the documentation down, smoothing out the parchments. He met the gaze of the young captain. "When are you due?" He spoke casually.

"November, sir." She replied.

"And the father obviously understands the responsibility the two of you will share, correct?" He rose a fiery eyebrow questioningly at the young woman.

Abbie nodded. "Yes, sir."

"And he too, understands the consequences and serious charges you face currently?"

"Yes, sir. We hold the responsibility and I'll take the consequences."

A gentle smile graced the Commander General's face. "I was like you once, Captain Preston. I was young and in love. I wanted to start a life with her; keep her safe, have a family. I understand that having a family is very important to you, and it was a damn shame you had lost yours at such a young age. I too was an orphan and as orphans, we crave families like it was a potent, addictive drug. As a military, we knew that the generation would soon grow up and begin to have families of their own. We knew that there would be days like today where we would have to convene and decide upon a future such as your own, Captain Preston." He explained. "However, we need to keep to the rules, as you may understand. And just as we need to keep to them, we must enforce and punish those who break them."

"Of course, sir. I have made the willing decision to break said rules, so I'll take whatever punishment that will be willed upon me. By the mother of the sea and the father of land, I stand before my judgement with the salt in my blood and the iron that will be clapped around my wrists." Her knuckles balled at her sides as she clenched her hands into fists. The council murmured to each other, some nodding others frowning deeply. The commander General cleared his throat gathering the attention of his subordinates.

"Captain Preston, you have served with extraordinary obedience and strength. The council admires your hard work and dedication to Piltover and her people. Thus we deem your punishment as such." He took a moment to gather a large breath. "Abigail Preston, all charges of fraternization and offence to the state have been dropped. You must give up your position as Captain of the fifty-first and asked to leave Piltover Company with an honourable discharge. "

"An honourable discharge allows you to keep the pension you have gained as well as any earnings. Your title will also be kept with you. We as the disciplinary council agree that you have put your life on the line countless times to ensure the citizens of Piltover could live peacefully, thus you deserve a life outside of the military and to start your life as one of the civilians you had helped to protect. However, you will be charged to ten lashes and considering your state of pregnancy we will award this punishment to the father, Sergeant Elric Sampson. As you said, Captain Preston, the two of you were willing to face the responsibility. Sergeant Sampson after receiving his lashes will then be promoted to Captain of the fifty-first, to replace you. You have until the end of the day to pack and leave Barracks and begin your life as a civilian. Good luck with your future and with your child, may they be as healthy and as strong as their mother. You are now dismissed. "

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{WILDES-Bare}

(5 Days until the attack on Piltover)

She wakes up to the smells of fresh paint, mint, and bacon grease. She raises her head from her resting place, giving a sly smirk as she decides to nuzzle in closer to the comfort.

Dakota stirs in her sleep. Her arms tighten around the gently chuckling Illya, her nose flaring as the scent of breakfast food brings her to the realm of consciousness. Illya couldn't help herself as she began to laugh at Dakota's rumbling hungry stomach. Sleepily, the raven-haired girl cracked open an eye to the Noxian, trying her damnedest to suppress the grin growing on her lips.

"We fell asleep on the couch," Dakota mumbled matter-of-factly, turning over to better face the lilac-haired girl. Her toned arms circled Illya tightly, pulling her in closer and pressing a peck to the girl's forehead.

"It seems we have," Illya replied, nuzzling her nose into Dakota's knit grey shirt. "You were very determined to get that damned chandelier fixed. Eventually, you had enough, scooped me up and demanded that we were to go to bed; if I do recall." She chuckled. "You were too tired to take the stairs so you opted out for the tea room chesterfield."

"It's comfy." The raven-haired girl admitted. "However, my shoulders would disagree." She groaned, rolling her back muscles and stretching out her legs. Small pops and cracks could be heard as she resettled herself. "Seems someone is making breakfast, shall we go see who this mystery chef is?" She yawned.

Illya smirked at the girl's heavy Piltovian accent. It was a rare treat that curled into her ears and instantly soothed Illya. She had only heard it a few times so far and she couldn't get enough of it. She looked up at the teen, letting her fingers trail up to press against Dakota's jawline. Her smirk grew as her thumb trailed over a line of paint smattered on her cheek.

All of them had been working hard on the renovations of the manor house. After all the deep cleaning, Elric and Dakota set to work on repairing and repainting the walls. With a few helping hands from Alex, Matais, Vi and even the Sheriff herself, the work got done, leaving the minor electrical and floor repairs. Yesterday had been a hard-pressed day to finish the remainder of the work so that new furniture could be placed. Dakota had worked tirelessly, finishing every repair on her to-do list.

"Mmm, I have a better idea." Illya purred, placing her hands on the soldier's shoulders. She began to squeeze the muscles, rolling the tips of her digits along the sore ligaments. She craned her neck, using her left hand to cup Dakota's cheek as she pressed their lips together. What turned into a relaxed, lazy morning kiss turned into something heated as Dakota groaned. She rolled over Illya, hovering over the Noxian, cupping Illya's outer thigh and pushing it against her own hip.

Illya smiled into the change of mood, letting her fingers grasp at her shirt. How in the world she got this lucky, she had no idea. But she knew that this had to be one of the best and easiest missions she had ever been a part of. Dakota loved her like any love drunk fool and all Illya had to do was play every string to her heart. She just had to lay back and let Dakota take the reins, let her guide the relationship to what she wanted. The Noxian girl was a physical person in reality. She enjoyed being held, being touched, being kissed. To her, this was a win-win situation.

Dakota got to love and Illya got to be loved.

"Oy, lover girls!" Alex crooned as he hopped on top of Dakota's back. A vicious curse ripped from the soldier's throat as she was pressed under his weight, trying desperately to keep it off Illya.

"Alex, fuck right off!" She strained through a snarl. "You're heavy as fuck!"

"Aww, now that's just rude, ice queen. Ya gravely hurt my feelings." He feigned, going absolutely limp. Dakota hissed out angrily at his dead weight. Illya chuckled, pressing a small peck on the girl's cheek and jaw.

"He can stay if he wants. I don't mind him, I only want you." She whispered to the straining soldier. She gave a seductive wink. "I mean he'll have a good view." She called out.

"Ugh, maybe with you sweetheart, I'd love to watch, but Dakota?! Gods no. That would be disgusting." He pushed off the soldier's back, much to her relief.

"I'm generally confused as to how I'm supposed to feel about that," Dakota admitted with a screwed expression. She gently pecked Illya on the forehead for the second time that morning before she stood up from the couch. She stretched out her arms above her head, giving another yawn. Alex checked her hip playfully, almost pushing the stretching girl over. "Sod off you tree like bastard." She quipped with a snicker while shoving her palms into his abdomen.

"Come get breakfast." He chuckled. "Elric decided he'd get up at the wee hours of the morning to collect some ingredients. He even invited Cait and Vi over to enjoy 'a celebratory breakfast'." He rolled his eyes.

"Don't be a twit. He's happy to have this done. Abbie and him can finally start a life together." Dakota extended a hand to Illya, helping her girlfriend up to her feet.

"Thanks, darling." The Noxian quipped, kissing the soldier's hand and lacing their fingers together. "You should be happy, Alex. The two of you will have a niece or nephew to get in trouble with."

"LAH LAH LAAAAAA, can't hear you!" Alex called out, cupping his hands over his ears. "I really don't want to be reminded that her brother got …..ugh. I can't even look at them. I mean I knew they were getting it on, but I don't need to have a constant reminder." Alex shivered involuntarily as he walked beside the two girls, who padded toward the kitchen.

Illya pressed herself into Dakota's side, musing her soldier's rueful morning hair. She let her fingers drift into the thick locks, pushing them aside and away from her eyes. Dakota chuckled lowly as she squeezed their hands in her grip. They entered the kitchen area.

Alex pushed past them, meandering his way over to the massive kitchen counter. Abbie was next to enter the kitchen as she rubbed her eyes, letting out a voracious yawn. Elric turned from the stove to greet her. He wrapped his large arms around her, tipping his chin up to meet her lips in a quick peck. He grabbed at a mug resting on the counter space and poured a decent amount of what smelled like coffee into the cup. He offered the morning delight to her, a wide beaming smile of pride gracing his lips.

Before Abbie's hand could enclose around the warm mug, Alex swooped in, stealing the cup from Elric's grip and giving it a swift slurp. He gave a disgusted face, before handing it to his sister. "Ugh gods, I forgot you like it as black as your soul." He sniggered. He received a hard thwack to the back of his head, making him yelp out and instantly b-line straight for the small dining table at the far end of the kitchen. Matais rolled his eyes at the young man's antics. He gave a loud unapproving slurp of his orange juice, causing a boyish giggle to erupt from Alex's throat. "Don't look at me like that you judgy asshole." He grinned with a charming wink.

It was then that Illya sensed the stillness beside her. Her brow furrowed as she inspected Dakota's features. The soldier's eyes seemed to glass over as they followed mere ghosts of her memories. Sweat beaded on her forehead and Illya felt her grip stiffen tightly. She watched as a faint shiver crawled up Dakota's spine and shoulders. Her hands began to shake as the memory began to tighten her breath in her chest.

"Darling," Illya's voice snapped gently. "Stay with me. Don't go away again."

This had been happening a lot more frequently since they had been in the manor house. Dakota would get lost in thought, her mind drifting off at times to when she was younger. Usually, they were happy memories; those of her being a young child, being loved by her family.

And then like a dark storm, her mind drifted off to the crash, to the lives she had taken, to the war-torn battlefield. And just like a swirling snake, it would grip her throat as panic would take over her body; a fight or flight instinct breaking through her mind. She would pause, her body going stiff as a board as she tried to wrangle those dark thoughts. Elric had shown great worry, as he would help bring her out of the state by trying to bring her into the present.

But Elric wasn't always with her.

Elric wasn't there when Dakota slept restlessly.

Her dreams would be plagued with shadowing pasts and she would wake to a start, sweat dripping down her spine. Illya had pretended to be asleep as she had watched the soldier run her fingers through her hair and quietly go through her breathing exercises. She would watch as she would slowly get out of her childhood bed, pushing the sheets away from her body. She'd quietly pace the room, her fingers drifting over the baby blue paint on the walls, the curves of the multicoloured wooden letters forming the Piltovian alphabet, the fur of a very dusty and ratty teddy bear seated on a nearby bureau. She'd watch Dakota's shoulders rise and fall as she breathed deeply to control her mind. With a quick nod, she'd turn on her heels with determination, wrap an arm around Illya's waist and fall to a dreamless sleep.

It intrigued the Noxian. She had seen this sort of thing among soldiers, but they were usually seen as weak minded. They would be shamed. They would be deemed useless. They would be told to move on or die. Noxus didn't take weaknesses well.

Noxus was only strength.

Even now she rolls her eyes at the notion. Everyone had weaknesses, however, what determined them strong was how they could use their weaknesses to their advantages and overcome them. That was the true power of strength that her father's Noxus was blind to.

It wasn't necessarily a problem that often occurred. The soldier had explained it was much worse in her younger years, especially after the crash and after the battle on the frontlines. Dakota had learned to take the brunt of it. She had learned to keep it at bay, to control it when it started to writhe under her skin. She was learning to overcome the slightest obstacles when they arrived, but sometimes there were very tough obstacles and the Sampson manor was the cause of many of them.

"Darling," Illya repeated, running her fingers along the toned muscle of Dakota's arm.

She watched as icy eyes narrowed, realization hitting the soldier. Dakota pinched the bridge of her nose, taking a large breath, counting slowly under her breath once she regained control of her mind. She looked to the Noxian with an embarrassed flush on her cheeks. "Sorry."

"It's ok." Illya murmured before going to her tiptoes and pressing a soft kiss to her lips.

"Ugh, could you not make out in the middle of the doorway," Alex complained, his mouth full of the toast he had snatched from the counter. All eyes swivelled to the young couple. Elric instantly sensed the small inner battle Dakota had just crawled out of and gave a small reassuring smile. A smile that meant "I know, I'm here." Dakota was the first to walk, pulling Illya along as she came before her brother who gave her a one-armed hug.

"Morning." He greeted, pressing his cheek to the top of her head. "How'd you sleep?" He asked, pulling away to turn to the spitting skillet on the gas stove.

Dakota leaned her elbows on top of the light gray quartz countertop. "Well you see, I had finished the wiring to that stupid chandelier you had me fix. And being tired as I was, I fell asleep on mum's cherished chesterfield."

Elric gave a loud snort, a pleased smirk gracing his lips. Abbie leaned her backside against the kitchen basin beside Elric and hid her grin with her coffee mug. "If only she was alive to catch you doing that. She'd have Rose chase you around the house and tear a strip from your hide."

Dakota gave a cocksure smirk. "She wouldn't have been able to catch me."

"No, but mum would find you eventually." Elric teased, pointing his spatula at his younger sister. "Now get your butts to the table. Our guests should be arriving soon." He tutted. "Orange juice or caffeine?" He questioned to the two teenage girls as they trudged to the small glass dining table.

"Caffeine." Illya and Dakota both groaned. Dakota sat beside Alex, playfully elbowing his ribs. His mud brown eyes twinkled with mischief instantly. He wrapped a tawny arm around her neck pulling her in, and pressing his knuckles firmly into her scalp. Dakota flailed her arms, trying to break free of the hold.

"Seriously?" She barked incredulously, digging her short nails into his arms. Alex gave a short yelp, releasing the girl instantly.

"By the void, that seriously hurt." He grunted, inspecting the marks on his arms.

"Then you should be able to think better next time you think it wise to nugey me like that again." She growled threateningly.

"Alright, that's enough!" Abbie snapped, placing mugs of tea in front of Dakota and Illya. "The two of you are going to make me hurl if you keep up with the banter." She placed her palms on the flat of the countertop as she glared at the two younger members of the fifty-first. Elric reassuringly came behind her, placing his forehead on her shoulder and rubbing small soothing circles along the small of her back.

"Hey now, don't blame your morning sickness on us. That's all on blond, tall and handsome behind ya." Alex muttered sourly.

"I said enough!" Abbie snarled in finality.

"Jeeze didn't mean to wake the hibernating bear." Alex raised his hands up in defence.

"Alex." The redhead warned through gritted teeth. "I'm really not in the mood."

Dakota looked between the two fuming siblings. She caught the eyes of her brother, raising a raven black brow to him in question. He gave a long sigh, and murmured something sweetly into Abbie's ear, making her lips pull into a wide smile.

"You better keep to that." The redheaded ex-captain teased, turning to the blond young man and kissing his forehead.

"I always do, love." He chuckled. "Now get your arse over to the table. Breakfast is almost ready." He couldn't help the giddy smile from breaking his lips. Abbie obliged taking the seat next to Matais.

The sound of the front entrance caught everyone's ears before the sound of padding feet came from the hallway. Vi popped in followed by Caitlyn, the two officers grinning widely at the group of young adults. Vi slid her leather jacket off of her strong shoulders. "It was just startin' to rain out there." Vi beamed. "It's startin to look a lot like spring, kiddos." She chuckled as she sat in the empty seat next to Illya. She leaned over and extended her arm to ruffle Dakota's bed head.

Dakota replied to the muse with a slight chuckle in her voice. "Morning, Vi." She beamed at the pink haired enforcer.

"Ya got paint on yer cheek, kid," Vi added, before pulling her chair in, settling herself and sighing in content.

Self consciously, Dakota rubbed at her cheek, a frown etched on her thin lips.

Caitlyn walked over to Elric, giving him a quick hug and placing a tray wrapped in tin foil on the countertop. "I brought my signature waffles." She explained.

"Thank you, Cait." Elric winked to the sheriff. "Now the crew won't have to suffer from my terrible cooking. At least they can look up to your waffles." He joked. "I have a Piltovian blend, brewed just for you."

The sheriff gave a very pleased smirk as she rose to her tiptoes to place a grateful kiss on his cheeks. Elric's smile beamed as bright as the sun. He wiggled over to the breakfast table balancing many plates along his arms.

"Alright, we have quite the assortment of refreshments." He explained. "Please help yourselves, I don't want anyone at this table to leave without a full stomach."

"Yeah, yeah, c'mon Elric. I've been drooling over those ham slices since you started frying 'em." Alex spouted impatiently.

Abbie glared at the young man. Alex rolled his eyes at his older sister. Dakota glanced around the table to Matais, who raised his eyebrow at the teenage girl. Caitlyn, with a mug in hand, quickly got to her seat next to Vi, placing a chaste kiss on her right cheek before taking a long drag of her hot beverage.

Illya watched as the group settled themselves before looking up to their new leader as he cleared his throat.

Elric gave a warm laugh, clasping his hands on the back of Abbie's chair. She looked up at him with glowing pride and admiration. He sighed happily, squeezing Abbie's shoulder reassuringly. "I'm glad we could all get together and celebrate the beginning of our new lives. This manor house has always been a home that would forever be out of reach to me." He explained, his eyes going to each member surrounding the table. His sapphire hues fell on Dakota, locking on for a moment before continuing on. "And now I get to share it with some of the most important people in my life. Hopefully soon, with Caitlyn, our glorious commanding officer," He grinned. "We can make Sampson manor into the Barracks of the fifty-first. We should be hearing back from the council of commanders within a week's time, as well as receiving a few new recruits."

Alex barked out a laugh incredulously. "They're finally giving us new meat?"

Elric nodded. "The council of Commanders is working on the testing phase of recruitment and pushing to find fits for the Unit. Hopefully, we'll have some candidates that we can weed through to find a few new members."

"I can finally retire." Matais chuckled into his glass of Orange Juice.

Alex turned to the mage, frowning deeply. "Fuck that retire the day you can't walk anymore, just like me. Just like Dakota." He pointed to the raven-haired girl, who was giggling with the Noxian who was wrapped around her and pressing pecks along the soldier's cheek. Alex screwed his face in disgust and rolled his eyes before going on. "We're all stuck here because there's no one else good enough to take our place. So don't go blabbering on about retirement. What are ya, forty years old?"

Matais gave a calming smile to the red-headed young man. "Fine. Who else would look out for you on the field? You wouldn't survive without me."

"Truer words have never been spoken!" Alex grinned wildly through the admittance. "See, I knew you'd come to your senses. Fighting partners until we're too old to move and our eyes are too blind to see." He crooned loudly, patting Matais's shoulder roughly.

"To a spring of change and new beginnings." Elric rose his mug to the centre of the table. Glasses and mugs rose to the toast, pressing into each other. "Now let's dig in. We got a long day of drills, kids!" He teased, as he took his seat in between Abbie and Caitlyn.

Alex groaned. "C'mon, Elric. We've been working our asses off on this house. Let's take a day off, head to the pubs and celebrate further."

Elric chuckled as he passed a plate of fresh cut fruit along the table. "As fun as that sounds, we can't. I've got some big shoes to fill as a Captain." He gave a charming wink to Abbie, who snorted, pushing her palm into his face and shoving him away with a laugh.

"Yes you do, and he has been lax in making sure you lazy sacks are in shape. It's time you guys get back to work and improve on those fighting skills." She explained, placing a pile of scrambled eggs on her plate and passing them off to Matais, who bowed his head in thanks.

The sheriff nodded in agreement, passing the plate of ham to an excited Vi. "Yes, and we may have orders for another mission for next week. Seems a few scouts have gathered up some interesting information that will aid us in finding out what the Zaunites are planning. Viktor's lab experiments have put the statesmen on edge. Biomechanically engineered hulks are quite the thing to be feared, and if they plan on unleashing them, we need to know their weaknesses before they strike when we're caught flat footing ." Caitlyn explained. "The commander and mayor have many things for us to do, so we need to be ready."

Elric nodded. "And we will. I'll have us ready." He promised.

As breakfast continued on with usual banter, Illya hid her smirk behind her mug, amicably taking part in conversation every now and then as she hid her excitement. She wondered if the sheriff knew how close to danger Piltover actually was. She wondered if, the fifty-first would be ready for what was coming for them. She wondered if Caitlyn would figure out when the attack was coming, only to find it too late.

It brought a delighted shiver up her spine.

Dakota, observant as always, noticed this and rose an eyebrow to the Noxian girl. Illya looked around the table, seeing that everyone's attention is scattered to everywhere but her. She reached a hand under the table slowly. Her fingers walked over to Dakota's thigh, dragging her nails along the material of her light gray canvas trousers. Her other hand reached for the waffles across the table, grabbing at a perfect square and thanking Caitlyn.

Her hand slowly ascended to the meeting place of her thighs.

She watched Dakota's nostrils flare and cheeks pinken instantly.

Illya chuckled just low enough for the soldier to hear before she pulled her hand away, gently clapping her knee before digging into her breakfast.

It was always satisfying to be the one who pulled the rug out from everybody's feet.

***********************************************************/)(\\**************************************

(2 days until the attack on Piltover)

(Son Lux ft Lorde - Easy)

The tumbler rattled as his wrist continued in circular movements. The amber liquid mingled with the clinking of the ice cubes. It licked up the side of the handcrafted glass, dribbling a splash that clung to the calloused tips of his fingers as they gripped tighter into the tumbler. His fiery brow furrowed in concentration as his dark green eyes surveyed the hurried ink scratched into the parchment.

This was the beginning.

Every soldier always wonders when war will finally decide to bring out it's mangled and heaving head to face the world. It was a creature that gripped every living being with sharp elongated claws. War was always waiting with a malicious smile and the balance of humanity curled in the palms of its talons.

Every General wonders when they would be faced against the monstrosity. They prepare all their lives, giving the burden to their successors, continuing the line of being the first moving cog of the machine like beast.

It is a bittersweet moment. A moment where purpose and dread curl around tightly in his gut. He had been waiting. He had been preparing.

But he never expected it to begin like this.

"Cheeky." He muttered as he pressed the tumbler to his lips, gently tipping it so that the brandy swelled into his cheeks in a small mouthful. It was a Bilgewatian creation that consisted of strong notes of berries and spice. It gave him slight comfort as he reread the message.

 _Tink tintink_

The brandy continued to swirl with each passing short sentence. It created a steady calming rhythm as he gathered his racing strategic thoughts. With something akin to the feeling of giddiness, he wondered who he'd contact first to inform of the coming threat.

And in that moment he knew.

It was time to be a smidge dramatic.

He sighed regretfully as he pushed himself up onto his feet. He placed his tumbler down on his cherry desk before straightening his tie. He shrugged on his light gray uniform jacket; his decorative medals clanking against each other with the movement. He pushed the buttons through their respective holes before giving the bottom of the jacket a quick tug. He swiped his Commander's cap off of his desk and placed it gently over his red and gray hair.

The marble corridors of city hall resonated the sounds of his boots. Politicians cleared a path for him as to not obstruct the urgency of his movement. They watched in awe as he easily pushed the great oaken doors of senate house wide open.

Whatever heated debates occurred before commander Grayer literally burst through the door, were now silenced entirely. The mayor almost looked relieved to be rid of their bickering voices.

"Commander General Grayer? What brings you here?" The Mayor inquires curiously. Small concerned murmurs go around the wooden room. Statesmen stroked their beards as they contemplated the otherwise rude entrance of the commander general.

"Noxus has declared war." He states, his voice reverberating off of the Senate walls. "They invaded Ionia. They've laid wreck and ruin all along their countryside. The council is requesting for support and for us to deploy as a reinforcement."

The statesmen roar in incredulity.

 _What do you mean they invaded? The Noxians wouldn't dare! Where is the proof? The enlightened one requests our aid? We cannot send our forces for foreign defence!They are our allies!_

"Enough!" the Mayor bellows. "I have had enough of your incessant bickering! It is a constant in this senate-house. We argue all day and do nothing to resolve our issues." He rises from his bench seat and glares up toward the commander general. "Are these official request given by the enlightened one herself?"

Grayer began to descend the creaking wooden steps. His heavy boots thundered against the panels as he made his way to the mayor. He extended his arm, handing the parchment over. He turned on his heels and cleared his throat.

"Our allies are calling for our Noxians have been gearing to claim Ionia after their last attempt. Swain has been itching to redeem his people after their failure. They are a decades-long prepared force, causing destruction and turmoil for the civilians of a peaceful nation." He paused momentarily to allow the severity of the situation to sink in. "Now I can tell the question in your minds right now is, what does this have to do with us?"

There was a moment of the statesmen looking at one another, their gazes wary. The mayor kept focus on the scrawled message. The official seal of the enlightened one decorated just under his fingertips.

"It is not just the Ionians calling upon their allies." The mayor sighed.

Grayer nodded gravely. "Gentlemen, ladies, great mayor. Before us stands a catalyst for a destructive war." The commander general pointed toward the Piltovian coat of arms. "We are a different city from the last rune wars. We are not a small player within Valoran. We hold just as much power as those bloodthirsty warmongers! You have toiled your days ensuring that you keep a balance of peace and harmony within our city. In order to keep that balance, allow me to take half of my forces to quash the Noxian and Zaunite fueled invasion before it becomes a much larger scale world domination attempt. The Demacians are not as close as we are to the Ionians. Once the Noxians begin their assault we should have the arrival of the Demacians moments after. All we need is our foot soldiers and the engineering front to help the Ionians fortify the defences of their capital city. We can aid with the intake of refugees. This can all be handled with our help. All we need is your approval, and then this pitiful grab for something untouchable can be swatted away with ease and with the least amount of casualties possible."

A statesman rose from his seating, his gruff features pushed in a concerned expression. "And you are certain that we are the answer? You are certain that our forces can handle this commitment? Once we choose sides we are no longer allies with the other."

A chorus of hear hears rang through the room.

"Why would we be allies with a nation that broke the runic treaty. We are only providing aid to an invaded island. We are but the spray that deters the roaches of war, we are only the temporary solution until the exterminators finally arrive. We must help end these pests and restore peace, not only for Piltover, but for Valoran." Grayer retorted. "Put it this way, they broke our allyship the second they began to slaughter innocents on a land that they have no right to."

"And what of our own protection? What if they counterattack? If the Noxians are allied with the Zaunites shouldn't we present a strong force of defence of our city?"

"Sir, we have as many as 10 000 trained soldiers stationed and on standby waiting for our commands. We have a force of over 2000 trained police officers. Not to mention the militia forces we could easily muster. We may have a small army compared to the Demacians and Noxians, but we are prepared. I can easily take half of our standby forces and we could still make a difference. That is all I need." Grayer than turned to the mayor. "If it quells your worry, I will send my scouts to the Zaunite border and get them to keep careful watch of that decrepit city-state. Any sense of invasion like feelings and they will report it to us."

The mayor nodded carefully, his mind whirring with the facts and the pitch given by the commander general. "Fine. We'll put it to a vote. All of those in favour to aiding the Ionian front say aye."

A solid roar of aye circled around the room.

The mayor nodded. "To those not in favour say nae."

A small grouping of nae was heard.

"Majority rules. You will receive the funds necessary to mobilize our forces. You will get no more or less than 5 000 troops. I am with our statesmen. I believe that this could easily open up a chance for Zaun to bring the war machine to us. I would like to be prepared for the possibility at least."

"Of course. It is all that I need. Piltover Company will bring you all pride."

***********************************************************/)(\\**************************************

(Ivan Torrent- One of Us Ft. Julie Elven)

(19 Hours until the attack on Piltover)

Winter wind has always been a vicious creature. It tears through fabric and material as easily as a hot knife cuts through butter. It sends your body into a state that at times can be similar to fear. You feel the shivers, the goosebumps, the anxiety of survival the same way as you feel the creeping concerns of a predator hunting you down in the darkness. It lingers against your skin, leaving your body in trembling states.

But a dying winter's sea breeze was much more vicious and much more intense.

Illya Swain, like many others, felt the cold bite through to her bones. A small shiver crawled up her spine causing the goosebumps on her arms to raise tenfold. She grit her teeth against the howling wind. It seemed that even though spring was on the horizon, winter was giving one last final war cry before falling to its knees in natural defeat.

She focused on her mind, taking a large breath as she felt the runic energy flow through her veins.

It filled her with strength as she stepped away from the city outskirts of Piltover and Zaun. The greenish smog-filled streets broke away to the coastline of heavily polluted water and shabby fishing shacks. Before her, Viktor's camp rested along the rocky shoreline, looking directly across toward the distant City of Progress and the even more distant Bilgewater. Tenting flapped against itself as the wind howled even more viciously than before.

Her arms glowed with runic scrawls; an ancient language forgotten by many and remembered by few. Illya swain was one of the many who neither cared nor wondered what the pictograms of swirling circles and harsh lines meant as they burned through her skin. All she knew was that they kept her warm and gave her the strength to demolish any who stood in her way.

And that the voices of spirits circled her inner mind like ravenous wolves. They screamed and hissed as she opened herself up to the runic energy. She had no idea who the voices were or what their affiliations belonged to, but she usually quieted them with internal snarling and threats of keeping them locked away to never roam the planes of existence again.

Those threats usually kept the voices at bay.

Except for one.

 _Traitor,_ it wheezed, almost sounding as if the very voice breathed at her earlobe. A ghastly shiver crawled up her spinal column.

It wasn't from the cold.

"Enough." She barked out in finality. Her fists clenched tightly into white-knuckled frustration as she carefully took steps along the slippery algae covered rocks. "I will push you away and into the very dark corners of my mind." She threatened to the frozen air. "Trust me you won't like it in there." She growled.

 _Traitor,_ it breathed again. _Daughter of a fraud. Heir to a throne of a failed society. Apprentice of a liar. Death will come swiftly for you, girl. She sings for you, and her beast is salivating at the taste of your blood._

"Oh shut it. You're becoming quite annoying." She tisked. "I mean you're quite right, but I'm not one to constantly hear about my flaws." She quipped with a harsh chuckle. Her shoulders rolled underneath her sheer cloak, letting the winter and sea wind flow through the thin material. "Now be quiet or I'll seal you tight."

 _You can never silence the truth, girl._ It growled lowly. A smirk grew on her full lips, something almost predatory as she listened to the voice. It was almost an ethereal clouded sound with harsh undertones of a dusk world. The accent was almost unrecognizable.

Almost.

"So you were Noxian." She stated flatly, crossing the shoreline to the first row of tents.

 _Not Noxian._ It hissed angrily. _I am not anything like you._

She rose an eyebrow at the voice. "However, you speak my language and you sound very Noxian. What are you?" She asked as curiosity struck her.

 _I was human._ It whispered. _Your precious Noxus was nothing when my people first settled there. Your Noxus was nothing like the basilicas or parapets of my people. We were the pillars of your failed livelihoods. We were the before. YOU are the after._

"Ah, so you were the Origins." She deduced. "Your people founded what I call home."

 _And what do you call home?_ The voice was no longer a hiss of anger, but now a perverted intrigue.

"Noxus, obviously." Illya snorted. "Are you trying to trick me, voice?" She grinned widely.

 _Liar. That is not your home. You are not Noxian, girl. At least not your Noxian._ She could hear the voice turn into something smug.

"And that is the point of this entire thing. So that I can raise a better Noxus. A better world. A total annihilation of weak leaders putting down strong people." She replied. "If you have strength, prove it by living without the need of leaders dictating every step and breath you make."

The creatures of Viktor watched her as she moved among the tenting like a wisp of smoke. One of them watched sorrowfully as she walked by, its black eyes following her movement. Its pale skin shimmered into the half moonlight. "Illya Swain." It groaned through clicking gargles. It reached out to grab her as she sauntered away.

Illya ignored the undead augmented soldier and continued forward to her destination.

 _Failure._ The voice hissed angrily.

"Excuse me, I am not a failure." She said in mock hurt, pressing her hand to her heart in mock horror. "That's at least what I'm pushing to what people will perceive of me."

 _No, not you foolish girl._ The voice snarled. _Me. I have failed my people. My people have become YOU and that is the greatest deplorable action of my existence._

"Ouch, a little too self-hating don't you think?" She jeered to the voice.

 _Silence you traitorous swine. You have no idea the amount of distaste you cause me you naive, brat._ The voice scathed harshly. _You would rather watch the earth fall apart rather than gluing it back together. YOU WANT TO FIX, BUT YOU WILL RUIN THE VERY GROUNDS YOU WANT TO CALL HOME._

"Alright, that is enough." She commanded sharply. Her emerald eyes shone with sharp green energy.

 _You are making a big mistake._ It whispered.

"Enough." She barked letting runic energy push through her body in a violent wave, causing her mind to burn in pain. With an irritated grunt, she forced more power making the head splitting headache become even more painful. The voices in her mind all but disappeared, lifting the feeling of cloudiness from her hearing.

"That's better." She chuckled to herself as she brushed her front. She gave a wholesome sigh before pushing through the final tenting and into the quarters of the mechanist. He was bent over a pile of mismatched cogs. He paid no mind toward the Noxian. "Piltover is preparing for battle on Ionian lands." She said in welcome, throwing a Cheshire grin to the evolutionist.

"They are?" He asked perplexed, his amber lumens coldly staring at the sprockets before him.

"Yes. In fact, as we speak they are ushering their forces on to boats to deploy them tonight on Ionian territory. We have a perfect opening lining up for us." She strutted over to a pine table containing other metal bits. She picked up the pieces and began moving the joints back and forth. The metal parts squealed out in protest to the movements. "You should oil these."

Viktor's facial expression remained as blank as the cold metal plating covering it.

Illya smirked in tiny victory.

Before anything could be said in reply by both parties, someone was shoved roughly into the planks of wood acting as the flooring for the main tent. Two of Viktor's creatures pushed through the tenting, clicking and croaking as their once-dead bodies now moved to stand guard at the door. Illya turned her back to them to stare at the boy who was thrown to the flooring.

"Well look what got dragged in." Illya chuckled darkly as she recognized the uniform.

"Scouts." one of the creatures wheezed toward Viktor. "This one...by embankment...four others...captured one...killed the others."

"Excellent work. We can handle this, return with the troops." Viktor ordered. He paused momentarily, thinking deeply before proceeding. "Actually, take two of your best men and return to the embankment. If you so much as see anything suspicious deal with it accordingly."

The creature nodded effectively, it's breathing apparatus bobbing along with his movements. He cuffed his partner's swelled head and pushed through the tenting, disappearing into the night.

"So who do we have here?" Illya asked with a small dark chuckle. She knelt down to get a better look at the boy's features.

The boy gave her a menacing look as she clasped his chin to get a better look at cocked her head to the side with a menacing smirk before she grabbed the scruff of the boy's neck, and lifted him up. He yelped out in reaction, throwing his gangly limbs to claw at her hand. He looked at her with wide ocher eyes as she slapped them away. Mud covered his young narrow face. He still had the slight childlike roundness to his cheeks. His wavy jet black hair was cut to military specifications. He couldn't have been any more than fourteen years old.

"I thought Grayer was too chicken shit to let you out of your cages, especially after that last training incident. Even I have to say that was quite a doozy of a fuck up." She looked at the boy curiously. "Tell me, are you afraid to die?"

The boy's features hardened into something stubborn. He brought a clenched fist up to his lips. With a millisecond of realization, Illya slapped the boy's hand away. A dark purple pill clattered to the floor. The boy cussed out angrily, giving a flailing attempt to break from Illya's hold once again.

"Obviously not, since you just tried to poison yourself." She chuckled. "See that's the thing about Piltovians that I have come to learn. You're all ready to do as you're told to ensure that progress is made for the next day, even if that means sacrificing yourselves. You'll do anything to move forward, and I can appreciate that." The boy gave a final attempt before Illya rolled her eyes. "Get me a chair Viktor, it's time the youth of tomorrow learn an important lesson of today."

The Cyborg gave a metallic sigh while crossing the flooring, retrieving a seat from his makeshift desk.

Illya stared at the boy's stubborn face. The two of them faced off. One with a raised eyebrow and the other with a serious line of angered lips.

 _Traitor._ The voice breathed gently.

Annoyance crossed her facial features briefly. _I thought I got rid of you._

 _I will never abandon the opportunity to aid my people._ Runic energy glowed through her body, carving into her skin and causing a fire to go through her veins. _You are making a mistake. You will ruin your home._

 _I am doing this to get my home back in order._ She snarled back at the voice in her mind.

 _Stupid girl, Noxus is NOT your home._ The voice growled. _You will never be loved by Noxus. Her people hate the very air you breathe and the title you carry. You may be an heir to an empire but the people don't want your rulings. They only want strength, and YOU are Not strong enough. You are too weak. Too naive. Too lusted for power. Too stupid to see that your vision for Noxus is absolute ridiculousness. You can never tame the idiotic murderers. They want blood and strength. They will never accept another Swain on the Blood Throne._

 _You don't know a single thing about today's Noxus. You're just a lost Origin._ Illya snarled in retort.

 _We see all. We watch all. We punish many._

 _Punish? I'll show you punish._

Illya raised her hand to the defiant boy, but before their skin could make contact, flashes of Piltover struck her features. The mines spilling out the miners after a hard day's work. Their faces covered in soot and sweat. Their coveralls stained with the dust of raw hextech crystals. Every one of them had a satisfied expression to their coal covered faces as they all cantered over to the Miner's Boot, a favourite pub of the working class.

Another flash. A beautiful park, with lush grass and tree canopies hanging over the land. Their branches intertwining over each other, providing perfect perches for larks and jays.

A large clock tower took to her vision of sight, people milling about rushing to work as doves took wing to the early morning sky.

Hexmobiles moving, their engines spinning with converted energy from mined crystals.

She saw winter balls, with aristocrats sipping Ionian champagne. She saw high strung jazz numbers performed by bands in an upper city speakeasy; middle-class citizens danced along with partners within the smoke-filled room.

She saw the many faces of Piltover. She saw the young gutter orphans scurrying from alleyway to alleyway. She saw the hardworking mother gathering her young children together as they walked to the markets. A yordle couple walking hand in hand. A fishmonger trying to sell some weird eyed flounder. A crossing guard ensuring the safety of children as they crossed the busy intersections of Piltover proper. The faces of the young soldiers, their eyes holding the doors to their dark and haunting pasts. Each of them horror filled and distant when faced with reality.

Her eyes then focused on the boy in her grip.

 _He is the living product of a city built on progression and unity. A city based on multiple cultures coming together as one to create a brighter future for their offspring. They are We and We are They. You are a traitor. And not to Noxus, but the very city that wanted to keep you. The very city that wanted YOU._

The boy's eyes widened as Illya, shook with rage. She set the boy down, before grabbing at his jaw with both hands. "You want to die so bad? Then here's your wish." She seethed, forcing the boy's neck into an awkward angle. A sickening crack echoed through the tent and he went limp. His wide ocher eyes, lifeless and glassed.

 _You are weak. But We understand your intentions._

"Shut up." She snapped. "I don't fucking care what you think about me. I don't care what you think will happen. My home is not Piltover. Noxus is mine and I will take it with the blood and sweat of my own strength. Get out of my head and leave me alone!" She roared.

She kicked the leg of the chair, sending the boy's body sprawling to the wooden planking. Her emerald eyes snapped to Viktor. He watched her stoically, letting his amber lumens observe her enraged form.

Runic energy practically formed a green cloud-like vapour, wafting from her skin. Her hands twitched reflectively as thoughts raced through her conscious. Viktor slowly took a step back.

"I am assuming that you are finally hearing _them_?" He asked carefully, preparing to move in to incapacitate the girl.

Every ounce of authority and power coursed through her body as she began to speak slowly and clearly.

"We must invade immediately." She commanded.

The runes etched on her skin, glowed a sickly green, making an old emotion unearth itself in the back of his mind. "Answer me." He ordered.

Illya stared at the mechanist with an ominous tilt of her head. "Did I ask you to question me or to question the very experiment that you had implemented into me?" She snarled taking slow agonizing steps toward Viktor. "Did I ask for your concern?" She came near centimetres to his face letting her glowing emerald hues dig into his amber lumens. "Or is it that you are afraid that your experiment made me insane? Is that it? Are you afraid of my possible insanity? Are you afraid that the voices attached to the rune magic are uttering sick and twisted whisperings into my thoughts? Or are you afraid of what truths they are telling me, Viktor?"

Her hand clamped around his neck, easily squeezing the metal guard formed around his non-existent throat. She raised the mechanist up into the air. "Your resentment and disgust toward me is very understandable." She chuckled darkly. "However, you must recall one thing Viktor." She sneered evilly, clasping her hand even tighter around his neck, bending the metal at the tips of her digits. "You made me what I am. I was the success you lost control of. So either keep your words to yourself and do your job, or allow me to destroy you. It is your choice, so take your pick."

"I am not questioning you," Viktor responded carefully. "More of getting answers for my research."

"Well stop worrying about your _research_." Illya snarled as she released him from her hold. "Piltover is practically hand wrapping their city to us. We only have a matter of time before they get suspicious when their scouts don't come back. We need to attack, now!" She ordered harshly, her emerald eyes dark with power. "Send out the order and have _my_ men mobilized. Get every Zeppelin, tankard and canon ready to obliterate their streets. I don't care how we take it, but we capture Piltover by nightfall tomorrow."

"And what of the maniac?" Viktor asked.

"Were you not listening?" She snarled. "Get everything and anything we need to take that fucking city. Do not make me say it again."

"Of course Commander Swain." Viktor retorted evenly.

Illya sighed while crossing the planking of the floor to the exit of the tenting. "I must prepare myself. I have a few things left untied. Blood for Noxus." She muttered to Viktor before she ducked under the material.

"And let the glorious evolution begin." He replied to the empty space.

***********************************************************/)(\\*******************************************

{My Chemical Romance- House of Wolves}

(16 hours before the attack on Piltover)

Rolum Freswick wasn't always a yordle on the other side of the law. He used to be a praised member of his community; an easy contender for the position of mayor in the small town of Voselheim just outside of bandle city. His father was a judge of the highest power and his mother was a medical worker. Among his younger years, he had always gone for the leadership roles, always taking the initiative to guide his fellows.

He now thinks back to the day his family shipped him off to Piltover to study political sciences at the Yordle academy. His father was so proud and his soon to be political comrades said they'd patiently wait for his movement to power like he truly deserved.

He chuffs into the bottom of his glass as he downs the brew in a swift gulp.

He definitely got into some kind of power. He has most of the Piltovian gangs under his paw with his smuggling rings and information systems. No one crosses him and he...well on good days does the same.

Honour among thieves and all that piddle.

The Miner's boot was a common frequent for those involved in his...profession. It was a dark smoke filled room that was always engulfed with hard looking individuals and exhausted crystal miners. Gamblers usually took up shop at the darkest of corners, every now and again the sound of extreme content or malcontent would erupt from the tables followed by the sound of a hexpistol going off or someone gurgling on their blood.

It was a fifty fifty kind of thing. Fairly interesting odds of survival to most; hence the busyness of the table.

If the gamblers didn't frighten you it was for sure the bartender gloomingly standing at the grimy pinewood bar top. Her arms and hands more scarred than the flooring scrapped by fights, barstools and dead bodies. She was a stout woman with more piercings than a bedazzled jacket. She was either mute or would rather just discuss using a series of grunts and eye-rolls as she served you; usually spitting a gobble of her infamous shimmer and tobacco mix by her side as she got you what you ordered.

She had a soft spot for Rolum as she always gave a gentle pat on the bar before serving him. A stark contrast compared to the gloomy shruggrunt that she would emanate for others.

"Lydia, I must say, when in the void hells are you going to get a day off?" He was never sure what her name was, but he always thought she looked like a Lydia. Some days he would think Marilyn, but Lydia seemed much better suited.

She hadn't maimed him yet, now had she?

'Lydia' gave the barest of side smirks that would almost seem like a grimace to the untrained eye of her mannerisms.

"You've given us a quench to our thirsts, it's about damn time you take a chance to look after yourself. I can easily contact someone to get you pampered like the true slum queen we all know you are." He chuckled ruffling up his amber fur behind his neck. He elbowed the drunkard beside him. "Jost you agree, right?"

The drunkard blearily looked to Lydia then back to Romul before wobbly raising his glass to the woman. In seconds his body slumped over and crashed to the side. A loud snore ripped through the air causing Romul to chuckle.

"See?" The yordle interjected. "It's been a hard day's work for me, Lydia. The cogs keep moving shit back and forth between Zaun and here. I dunno why, but they've been trading some interesting machinery. Almost had a run in with that bitch of a sheriff and her dep-" As if on cue, a small disturbance in the force of thievish peace amongst the bar made his ears twitch. "Speak of the devil and she comes, eh?" He winked behind his glass as he honed in on the sound of the disturbance.

 _We ain't lettin in a traitor._ The guard at the door sneered. _Beat it, before I call in the lads._

 _Easy Revil, I'm not here for trouble. I just gotta visit an ol' friend._ The disturbance explained, tapping her fist against Revil's leather padded shoulder.

 _Beat it Enforcer. We've got Cogs who'd pay a pretty penny to have yer head and I'm running low on funds ya see?_

 _You couldn't get a foot near me Revil. Remember the last time we did this? Just let me in. I ain't the enforcer right now, I'm a worried individual makin sure shit ain't about to blow the hell up._

 _Scram! Before I change my mind about seeing ya._ The guard growled.

 _Fine. I've warned ya Revil. I really bloody did ya cock juice._ There was the sound of a scuffle. Revil gave a cry of alarm, before his body (in this most likely instance) fell to the cobbled streets of the alley entrance. Knuckles were then cracked and the sound of a lighter going off caught his ears.

"Get ready Lydia. She's back." He cackled spinning in his stool to face the door.

A tall figure slipped through the entrance. She wore a black knit toque to cover her neon pink uneven hair. She even thought to smear coal dust and dirt over her cheeks to hide her tattoo. Her digits were buried deep in the leather jacket pockets; the lapels pulled up to shield against the spring wind. Hanging out of the corner of her lip was a cigarette.

A few eyes locked on her instantly. They too could see beyond her guise.

"What in the hells are you doin' here Vi?" One of the gamblers snarled from his corner. A chorus of angry 'yea's travelled around the criminally crowded bar. Someone busted open a beer bottle.

She raised her hands carefully from her pockets. "Now boys, like I said to Revil, I'm not here for trouble. This ain't for PPD business, this is strictly for personal shit."

"And where the hell is Revil?" One of the criminals demanded hotly.

Vi gave a sheepish grin. "Taking a well-deserved nap?" A burly man rose from the table next to where she was standing. Miffed, she pulled the cigarette from her lips and pointed a digit toward the burly man in warning. "Don't even think about it Bill. Just cause I'm not here for trouble doesn't mean I'm not willing to start some either."

More people rose from their seats, making the pinkette puff her chest, ready to start swinging.

Rolum gave a great audible sigh, making the room go quiet. Behind him, Lydia cocked a shotgun.

"Now ladies and gents, there is absolutely no need to tussle. We all know that this bar is well maintained for our purposes and what kind of guests are we if we destroy it. How could we do that to poor Lydia, hmm?"

The bartender grunted in agreement behind him.

"Relax everyone, she is instantly surrounded if she tries anything. She knows that she'll easily be taken care of if violence arises, now don't you Vi?" He asked raising his bushy amber eyebrows.

Her violet eyes swiveled around the bar in suspicion. "Yeah, whatever." She mumbled half audibly. "Could take all of ya with my gauntlets." She spat warningly.

"And that is how we know you aren't a threat, my dear. You are a stupid at times, but you aren't an idiot. You bring your gauntlets anywhere you go to start a fight. But you come here unarmed. A stupid sign of trust."

The pink haired brute once again swivelled her eyes around the bar, eyeing the almost growling group of hard looking individuals.

"Now what kind of desperation brought you here, hmm?" He patted the stool beside him. Lydia laid the shotgun along the bar and leaned herself over it.

The pinkette meandered her way through the sea of criminals and miners. Every now and again the words 'traitor', 'pig', and 'narc' spread through the room. Spit landed near her boots and on her person. Reluctantly, she sat on to the stool beside the yordle. Her back ramrod straight and her shoulders hunched over her ears.

She took a long stress filled drag from her cigarette before butting it out on the bar. "Where is she?" She questioned, keeping her eyes locked on the bartender who gave the same impassive stare she gives to all her patrons.

"Who, my dear?" Rolum asked. Even to this Lydia rolled her eyes in exasperation toward the yordle tunnel boss.

"You know who I mean." The pinkette hissed, turning herself to face the yordle.

Lydia's fingers drilled against the bar in agitation. Her body bristling like a feral cat.

"Ah, the pyrofiliac." He grinned, his canines bared slightly. "The last I saw of her was when she attacked the city. Didn't know her and that fucking psychotic metal prick were working together or I would have closed my tunnels. Which by the way, can you thank your lady for demolishing my last few? Those haven't been used by me for years and that asshole Corrid stole them from me. Practically took out my competition. I owe you two a bottle of the finest champagne." He looked to Lydia, who rose a slim eyebrow toward Rolum. "Remind me to do that. Oh and an engagement gift. You should have seen the shit storm that you caused here with that, my dear." He winked. "We always knew you had something with being handcuffed, didn't know you'd go as far to marrying for it."

Vi gave a disbelieving laugh. "You're hilarious, you furry fuck."

"That's Mr or even Boss furry fuck to you, Piltie Cop." He gawffed. "Anyways, I haven't seen a single blue hair from her. You aren't the only one looking for her either." He warned. "The kid won't stop. He's obsessed, and also on a vengeful spree to find yo-"

"I don't care about him." She cut off. "That is for another time. But you haven't seen or heard of her at all? Not even an explosives order?"

"Why? Are you wired? Cause I am not admitting to anything in front of you. No offence, my dear, no matter what you claim to be here for, I still do not trust you."

Vi gave him a very cold incredulous look. "Fuck off Rolum. Don't you know what I'm risking just coming here? Cait so much as catches wind that I've even walked a step toward this place, she'd snipe me faster than I could say 'wait'." She sighed. "I just...there's something off, ya know? She's had her time of being quiet, don't get me wrong, but this… with her and Viktor even. It just puts a bad feeling in my gut. You and Ferris always taught us to trust our gut, Rolum."

"Look I can tell you one thing. But if a pig comes anywhere near me after this looking for more 'evidence' to support what I'm going to say, it won't end well my dear."

The pinkette's violet eyes steeled instantly. Her fists clenched into tight balls as she stared down the small boss. "You so much as touch her-" She growled.

"Enough!" He barked, "I have some information, but I need something in return. I know your next patrol routing will be taking you near some areas that have a particularly curious investor of mine. We have an issue with him. I need the pigs to be...distracted and since you will be controlling that section, you can easily ensure some radio silence, hmm?"

Vi's jaw went tauter than a wire as she focused her eyes on the bar. Thoughts rolled through her mind like an angry storm at sea; crashing and churning into her cranium. She promised Cait that she would do nothing of this sort.

She was desperate though, and Rolum knew it.

"Fine. I'll set up a distraction and keep the attention off the area for twenty minutes starting at one tomorrow morning." She mumbled sourly.

"Excellent. Lydia, would you mind getting me another one of these fantastical beverages?" He questioned turning to the barkeep. Lydia hesitated for a moment, before grunting and setting off to get Rolum a newly filled glass.

The yordle reached out and grabbed Vi's collar, bringing her down forcibly to his height. "Viktor ordered over 5000 bits of raw crystals. All of it being arcane and runic. I myself didn't go for the order. Too risky, but he was waving around a Noxian symbol like it was a pig badge."

Vi's pupils dilated. "What is he planning?"

"I stayed out of it as much as possible. I don't like Noxians much, Vi." Rolum spat angrily. "And if that crazy experimenter is mingling with them, then I want nothing to do with it. I even denied access to my tunnels for the shipments. I even tried sabotaging it."

Lydia slid his new glass to him.

"Thank you, sweets." He winked. Lydia in response grunted as she resumed her position hovering over the shotgun on the bar, eyeing the pink brawler warily. "Anyways, If I could guess anything, he's probably caught her eye with something shiny and explosive. Probably gonna use her for something. Or he's using her as a new experiment. I honestly have no clue, but it will hurt my business and your city, so do what you must or I'll be handling it, and trust me, my dear, you wouldn't want that." He warned menacingly. "Now be off, you got your information, now get out of here, before I set the lads loose."

Vi stared at him momentarily, before nodding. "It's been nice. Stay out of the west end for a while. We're doing a raid this evening." She mumbled to him as she rose from her stool. She reached into her pockets, pulling out her lighter and her pack of cigarettes.

"We sure do miss you, my dear. Do send an invitation on your special day. I'll be very disappointed if I do not receive one. I'll also let Ekko know you've been sniffing around for her." He grinned.

Vi shook her head. "Yeah, yeah. Keep that pipsqueak on his toes for me, eh?" She placed a cigarette between her lips before turning on her heels and leaving the establishment. The surrounding personage watched her back like hungry wolves as she lit the cigarette. Without another word, she slipped out.

Rolum gave a great sigh. "All of you, listen up. The next time she comes poking her head around these parts, you have free reign. She's fair game from now on." He roared out.

Lydia grunted in agreement. She grabbed the shotgun and stowed it underneath the bar.

"Now what about that vacation, hmm?" Rolum began, making Lydia roll her eyes, and press her palm into his forehead, nearly pushing him off of his stool.

***********************************************************/)(\\**************************************

{Woodkid- Iron}

(12 hours before the attack on Piltover)

The scent of war lingered in the humid island air. The acrid taste of iron and blood twined with the scent of fire and victory, slamming into his senses as he watched his soldiers and allies causing chaos among the civilians. The screams of villagers rang helplessly into the late evening sky, causing an odd sort of euphoria to overcome his body. He gripped his cane with his gnarled hands and watched as the village in the valley below become wrack and ruin.

Ever so slightly, amongst the distant light of the flames, one could have seen the slightest of smirks touching the corner of his scarred lips.

Beside him, shadows converged to form the shape of a man.

"You are late," Swain said as he watched a foot soldier run his sword through the stomach of an armed villager below. "It's almost a pity to exert so much energy on such weak opponents, but we do as we must."

"Apologies, Grand General." Zed bowed to Jericho. "My disciples and I intercepted a resistance force moving its way inward to help defend this village. They wore the colours of the Ionian guard."

"Ah, excellent, our message has been received." He turned on his heels instantly. "Almost foolish of their enlightened one to see if she could somehow stop my forces."

"This is not the likes of Karma." The shadow hissed. "Her council of imbeciles must have decided for her."

"I hope the future council you will lead will be rid of such 'imbeciles'. Stupidity like that makes me wonder how Noxus had been defeated by such...weakness." Disgust lined his voice.

Silence encompassed the two leaders as they made their way through the rainforest, leaving the vines to a clearing where Noxus's war forces situated themselves. They finally arrived at Swain's Grand General tent. Beatrice cawed in greeting, flapping smoothly to make her way to her master's shoulder. Her long talons dug into his large epaulettes as she squawked toward Zed who gave an impassive stare to the four-eyed creature.

Swain brushed a weathered finger along the raven's beak before curiously retrieving the message strapped to her right leg. Viktor's scrawling handwriting reflected off of Swain's grass green eyes as he read the message.

"The attack begins shortly." Swain deadpanned.

"On Piltover?" Zed questioned in slight surprise. "Shouldn't that be in another three days?"

"It seems Piltover's _army_ has caught wind of Ionia and already deployed their forces to Ionian beaches to reinforce the capital."

"How could Viktor allow them to do that? Wasn't the whole point of him invading Piltover was to keep them from reinforcing Ionia?" Zed inquired cautiously.

"Yes, however, this plays well into our hand," Swain answered, swiftly hobbling over to his tactical map of Runeterra. "It is not Viktor who was solely tasked to that. My heir is leading that force. She must have sensed an easy opening. With this, they can exhaust the Piltovians of their resources by bombarding the city. The Piltovians will have no choice but to come back exhausted from fighting our siege on their city."

"You have an heir?" Zed asked suspiciously.

Swain rose a crooked eyebrow to the master of shadows. He replied with a moment of silence, ignoring Zed's inquiry. " We must compensate. We will have to march forward to Navori. I wanted to be able to contain leverage and have a siege and force Demacia to choose which city was more important, but we'll have to sacrifice that. Our fight in Ionia may last longer than we had intended. Leave me, while I strategize a much more useful plan now." He growled.

Zed bowed in respect. "Grand General." He uttered quickly before leaving Swain to his devices. He stepped away and dissolved into shadows. He himself had a plan he needed to devise.

***********************************************************/)(\\*******************************************

{Woodkid-Volcano}

(2 hours to the attack on Piltover)

Hundreds of feet sludge through the rocky shoreline. The sound of metallic movement thunders along the sea breeze air. Groans of bearing joints, cogs and gears echo along as his forces march forward.

Today they will conquer.

Today he will prove, once and for all, that this is the next superior path to human evolution.

His soldiers consist of his brave acolytes; their uniforms and masks are pristine and itching for the roughness of battle. The hulkers march alongside them; their broad chest and heavy set forms, ready to demolish all that stands in their way. The death-defying Noxian troops; all augmented and bloodthirsty, ready to prove they were worth the second chance. All of them do not fear the possibility of death, for they had experienced greater horrors before they became the strength that they are today.

"Creator, the _experiment_ is prepared for battle. Her levels of dopamine have increased exponentially. We all believe that she is ready to be unleashed." AuG reported, pulling Viktor away from his prideful thoughts.

Viktor nodded as he slipped his fingers into metal shielded gloves. "Excellent." He turned to the robotic boy. "We will unleash her once we are closer to the drop point. You will stay behind to ensure her handling once we return from the fray."

"Understood," AuG responded, rocking back in his iron heels. "Will the heir have what she needs?"

"That is of no concern for you," Viktor replied stiffly. "Be concerned about the experiment. You seem to be a calming agent for overactive abilities." Without another word, he snapped the last buckles of his long chestnut leather jacket, before pushing through the tent flaps, his shoulders back as he strode toward his marching troops.

"Good luck, father." AuG articulated mechanically, his lumens blinking as he watched the tenting flutter behind Viktor.

***********************************************************/)(\\*******************************************

{Imogen Heap - Have You Got it in You}

(30 seconds until the attack on Piltover)

Morning.

The sun yawned it's way over the mountain range to bask a few rays of light into the foggy city streets. Some of the city's population rose with the sun, greeting the day with cracking bones and outstretched limbs. They would follow their routines of preparing themselves for another day of progress.

But the tragic thing about mornings is that they are always never the same.

And this morning was one that most wished had never even happened.

Tarryn Flynn, like the few mornings before, stood guard at the west bank watchtower. Below, her view, like mornings before, was a fog patch over the rocky coastline and grass green fields. The quiet push of waves rolling onto gravelled shore, lulled her senses as it pushed through into the long grass. Behind her, a small part of Piltover was beginning to rise from their beds. Soon she and her squadron would be able to return to theirs.

She rubbed the tiredness from her eyes with her leather gauntleted hands. She would get used to these shifts with time. This guarding of the border only began days before and her company as long as the ninth were stationed to guard the very outskirts of the city. They had reused the guard towers that were used during the first rune wars when Piltover was merely a young city, full of promise. Soon the Piltovian smuggling patrol would arrive with their multiple hands of construction workers to continue the build of the defensive walls. Then she would be relieved as the next squadron led by her sister, would take their place.

A push of gentle wind pressed waves heavily onto the shore, making rocks tumble along the shoreline. Like most mornings the gentle hum of machinery began as the city awoke.

But unlike most mornings, the hum was much closer to the border.

 _Strange,_ She thought, the usual quiet turning into something eerie as she realized that the birds of the morning haven't begun their songs. She was sure more rocks began to tumble against each other as if people were walking on them.

Unlike most mornings, something in her gut twinged.

"Hello." A voice from behind her spoke. It was slightly accented with harsh undertones of danger and violence. It almost sounded as smooth as Ionian silk. "You've chosen a poor day to obey orders from your superiors, soldier." The voice chuckled seductively.

She didn't feel the pain as the sword sliced through her spinal column and ripped through her abdomen. What registered in her mind was, _That is the darkest metal I have ever seen._

Perplexed, her gauntlets glided over the tip of the blade. Curious as she was as to where this blade had come from she turned to face her assailant. As she turned the pain of the blade coming out of her body jolted her into reality as she fell to her knees in front of the girl.

Her second thought was a sigh of finality.

 _So this is how I die._

Her sister had always joked that it would be at the hands of a beautiful woman.

The girl had the most intense emerald eyes she had ever seen as she stared Tarryn down.

"Thank you for your service Soldier. I'm sorry you couldn't die on the battlefield with your brethren at arms." The girl chuckled as her small scarred hands slid along the soldier's jawline. "I can see why you were the object of her attention." She breathed as she observed the freckled face of the dying soldier before her.

Tarryn screwed her face in confusion. What was this angel of death talking about?

Blood fell from her lips as it pushed through her throat, making her choke. She fell fully onto the old stone flooring of the watchtower, her body becoming cold and heavy. The girl stepped over her struggling body to oversee her forces pushing through the fog banks.

Tarryn's final thought as her eyes began to get heavy and her consciousness fading to darkness was _My, does the beach ever sound crowded._

And her dying thoughts were right.

The humming of large engines, the groan of metal cogs, the sound of emergency sirens and pounding feet lulled Tarryn Flynn quietly into death. She would never witness the large force that was preparing to charge and invade her beloved city. She would never witness the loss the city was about to face.

It was a mercy really. She had dedicated her life to be prepared for things like this. If she had faced this failure of allowing these troops to cross the border without so much as a fight, would have been the ultimate shame.

Illya Swain had bestowed this mercy to her and soon she would continue to bestow this mercy on many others.

Today Piltover will weep.


End file.
